Man who stalked lone women on street gets 4 years for attempted rape

A man in his 30s who stalked women on the street while searching for a target before attempting to rape a woman in her 20s has been sentenced to prison.

The first criminal division of the Busan District Court's Western Branch, presided over by Chief Judge Na Won-sik, sentenced the defendant, identified only as A, to four years in prison on charges of rape causing bodily injury, according to Yonhap.

A was indicted on charges of choking and repeatedly assaulting a woman in her 20s, identified as B, in front of the shared entrance of a residential building in Busan at around 12:26 a.m. on July 12, before attempting to rape her.

An investigation found that A had followed five women walking alone that night, one after another, as he searched for a target.

After spotting B, A approached under the pretense of asking for directions and trailed her for about 400 meters to a quiet residential area. When B reached for the keypad at the building's shared entrance, A grabbed her from behind by the throat and struck her face multiple times with his fists and knees as she struggled to resist.

The assault was foiled when a resident who witnessed the attack shouted out, leaving the attempted rape incomplete.

"This crime is a so-called random attack targeting an unspecified person — a serious offense that causes widespread social anxiety, as anyone could have been a victim and it is difficult to defend against such a sudden assault," the court said.

The court added that the defendant bore heavy criminal responsibility and was highly culpable, and that the victim had suffered considerable mental and physical anguish — including receiving psychiatric treatment — and had petitioned for a severe sentence.