A man in his 50s who believed neighborhood children were repeatedly coming to his home to bully his teenage son, who has a severe intellectual disability, has been convicted of assault and given a suspended fine.
Cheongju District Court Judge Park Gwang-min sentenced the man, identified only as A, on charges of violating the Child Welfare Act, imposing a fine of 3 million won ($2,210) with a one-year suspended sentence, Yonhap reported Sunday.
According to the court, A believed that a boy identified as B and others had been tormenting his son — including taking his belongings — and acted on that belief when he committed the assaults.
A faces charges of punching B, 14, multiple times in the face and elsewhere at his Cheongju home on the evening of Feb. 18 last year, after B came over to play and entered the bathroom without removing his shoes. A is also accused of slapping another boy, identified as C, after telling C not to visit his home, only for C to return later the same day.
Two days later, when C came to the house again, A slapped him twice on the cheek.
mkkang@heraldcorp.com
