[Herald DB]
[Herald DB]

A church teacher in his 30s who committed sex crimes against a minor student dozens of times received the same prison sentence on appeal as he did at trial.

The first criminal division of the Suwon High Court, presided over by Judge Shin Hyeon-il, sentenced the defendant, identified only as A, to six years in prison on charges of violating the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth Against Sex Offenses, including rape through deception and coercion, according to Yonhap on Wednesday.

The lower court had handed down the same six-year sentence, along with a mandatory 40-hour sexual violence treatment program and a five-year ban on employment in fields involving children.

A was indicted on charges of raping or attempting to rape a then-17-year-old student in the high school division of his church on dozens of occasions between August 2019 and June 2020, and of engaging in similar sexual acts with her.

Investigators found that he had exploited the victim's vulnerability — she had been unable to receive proper parental care due to her family's financial circumstances and had relied on the church as a result.

The appeals court acknowledged that A had admitted to the crimes during the appellate proceedings and had deposited money into escrow for the victim's benefit. However, it noted that the victim still suffers and has petitioned for a severe sentence, and has said she will refuse to accept the deposited funds. "Given the method, frequency and duration of the crimes, their nature is grave, and it is difficult to view the aforementioned circumstances as sufficient grounds to change the sentence," the court said.

During the first trial, A and his defense consistently denied the charges, claiming he and the victim "were in a mutual loving relationship."


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