Man in His 40s Sentenced to One Year in Prison for Months of Abusing Common-Law Partner’s Stepson

Repeated Abuse Over Alleged Lying
Crime Uncovered After Elementary School Report

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A man in his 40s has been sentenced to prison for habitually assaulting the elementary school-aged son with developmental disabilities of his common-law partner.

On May 27, the Criminal Division 6 Single Judge Panel (Presiding Judge Park Inbeom) of the Bucheon Branch of the Incheon District Court sentenced the man in his 40s, who had been detained and indicted on charges of habitual child abuse under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Child Abuse Crimes, to one year in prison.

Mr. A was indicted on charges of habitually abusing his common-law partner's elementary school-aged son with developmental disabilities, including beating him with a blunt object at their residence in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, from September 14 of last year through April 8 of this year.

The investigation found that the man, who began cohabiting with the woman about a month before the crimes, repeatedly abused the child for reasons such as claiming the child was lying.

It was revealed that in December of last year, when the child's mother protested the abuse and said, "From now on, I will raise the child on my own," the man violently assaulted her by grabbing her hair and choking her.

It was reported that the couple had been raising the child by relying on basic living subsidies and had no particular occupation.

The abuse was uncovered after the child's elementary school reported the case. On April 9, school staff noticed injuries on the child's face and reported it to the police. On the same day, the police made an emergency arrest of the man at his residence. It was reported that, at the time, traces of assault were found not only on the child's face but also on his arms, buttocks, and thighs.

The court stated, "The defendant severely abused an autistic child over an extended period, causing injury, which makes the nature of the crime particularly egregious," and added, "The abuse was not minor, and it is likely that the victim suffered significant psychological trauma."

However, the court explained the sentencing by noting, "The defendant confessed to the crime, and the child's mother, his common-law partner, expressed that she did not wish for punishment."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.