A homeless man who sent death threats to a building manager for changing the bathroom password has received a jail term, local media outlets reported on Wednesday.
In the recent ruling by the Seoul Northern District Court, the defendant was found guilty of intimidation and was sentenced to a year's imprisonment for the crime committed in May.
The defendant, a homeless person living in Seoul, had frequently used a bathroom in a building in Seongbuk-gu, northern Seoul, to wash. When he learned that the password had changed on May 23, he called the building manager and cursed at him.
The defendant then sent threatening text messages such as, "Let's see if a knife won't penetrate your belly." The victim called the police, but the threats on both the victim and his family continued.
The defendant even sent three death threats while he was being questioned at the Seoul Jongam Police Station, a day after the incident. The defendant visited the victim's office on May 25, yelling profanities and pressuring the victim to drop the case.
"The defendant's actions are particularly malicious in that he sent messages during the investigation, and went (to the victim) in person to again intimidate the victim," the court said. The court considered the fact that the defendant did not show remorse for his crimes and that the victim had requested severe punishment.
The defendant's prior criminal records include multiple fines for defamation, insult and interference with business, as well as a suspended prison term for child abuse. The defendant also has a history of mental illness, which the court took into account in the ruling.
minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com
