A man in his 70s who struck an acquaintance over the head with a bottle after the acquaintance accidentally canceled a reserved karaoke song has received a suspended prison sentence.
Judge Park Gwang-min of Cheongju District Court's Criminal Division 1 sentenced the man, identified only as A, to six months in prison, suspended for two years, on charges of aggravated assault, the court announced Saturday.
A was indicted after striking fellow hiking club member B, also in his 70s, over the head with a soju bottle and attempting to pick up a brick to hit him again outside a gas station in Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju, at around 6 p.m. on June 8 last year.
B sustained injuries requiring three weeks of medical treatment.
The attack occurred while the group's tour bus had briefly stopped at the gas station to refuel. A carried out the assault after B accidentally canceled a song A had reserved on the bus's karaoke system.
"The nature of the offense is not light, as the defendant injured the victim using a dangerous object," Judge Park said in the ruling. "However, the sentence was determined taking into account that the defendant has no prior criminal record and that the victim does not wish to see him punished."
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