Struck her repeatedly with a wooden pants hanger

Victim wanted him punished, but court cited his poor health

Court [Yonhap]
Court [Yonhap]

A man in his 70s who repeatedly beat his wife with a clothes hanger and his fists because she had not prepared breakfast properly has been given a suspended prison sentence.

The court cited the defendant's poor health in handing down the lenient ruling, despite his record of multiple prior convictions for similar offenses.

According to legal sources, Judge Park Dong-wook of Chuncheon District Court's Criminal Division 3 sentenced the 79-year-old defendant, identified only as A, to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, on charges of aggravated assault.

A was indicted for striking his 76-year-old wife, identified as B, repeatedly on the head with a wooden pants hanger at their home in Hongcheon, Gangwon Province, on May 31.

When the hanger broke during the attack, A punched B in the face and struck both of her arms as she tried to fend him off, leaving her with injuries requiring about two weeks of treatment.

Investigators found that A had carried out the assault because B had not prepared breakfast to his satisfaction.

"In light of the motive, circumstances and nature of the offense, as well as the relationship between the defendant and the victim, the crime is of poor character, and the victim wants the defendant punished," Judge Park said. "He also has a record of multiple prior convictions for similar and other offenses."

The judge added that the defendant had admitted to the offense and shown remorse, and that his health was poor. "Taking into account that the defendant appears to have inflicted relatively minor injuries on the victim, among other factors, the sentence was determined accordingly," Park said.


jshan@heraldcorp.com