Man who served prison time for elder abuse jailed again for assaulting disabled mother

A man in his 40s who had already served prison time for elder abuse has been sentenced to prison again after reoffending.

Judge Jeong Jong-geon of the Chuncheon District Court's Criminal Division 1 sentenced A (47) to one year in prison on charges of attempted extortion and violations of the Welfare of Older Persons Act and the Act on Welfare of Persons with Disabilities. The court also barred him from working at elder-care facilities for three years.

A was indicted for assaulting his disabled mother (67) in Hongcheon, Gangwon Province, on July 3, after she refused to lend him money. He struck her shoulder, grabbed her by the hair and shook her until she fell, causing her head to hit the floor.

On July 14, he again demanded money from his mother. When she refused, he grabbed both her arms, pinched her hard and choked her in an attempt to extort money — but failed.

The following day, after she again refused to give him money, he continued the assault, grabbing her by the hair and shaking her.

A had been sentenced to prison by the same court in April last year on charges including violation of the Welfare of Older Persons Act. He reoffended within a year of his release in late June of that year.

"The defendant repeatedly committed these offenses while already under an aggravated-recidivism period for the same type of crime," Judge Jeong said. "He inflicted violence on multiple occasions against his elderly, disabled mother, reflecting very poor character."