| Incheon District Court / Korea Times file |
By Lee Hyo-jin
An Indian man in his 20s is facing deportation after he was found guilty of sexually harassing a teenage girl and overstaying his visa, according to a local court, Monday.
The Incheon District Court sentenced the 28-year-old man to one year in prison suspended for two years, in consideration of health issues connected to the man's HIV positive status. He was found to be in violation of both the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles from Sexual Abuse and the Immigration Control Act. The court additionally issued him a three year ban on employment at child-related facilities.
"The judge found that the accused is suffering from severe health issues due to HIV, and therefore should be given the chance to return to India to reunite with his family and receive proper medical treatment," a court official told The Korea Times.
Despite the judge's seemingly humanitarian sentiment toward the sex offender, the official added that the man has been transferred to the Immigration Office for deportation procedures.
The man was arrested for sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl who was sitting near a parking lot at Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province around 2 a.m., March 29.
After coming out from a nearby massage shop, he approached the victim on the street. He then groped the girl, saying in Korean, "Come with me, I have a lot of money."
He was additionally charged with violation of the Immigration Control Act as it was revealed that he overstayed his short-term visa (C-3-4), which expired on July 11, 2019.
He reportedly denied the allegations of sexual harassment, saying that he "was just helping her with her jumper," but the court did not accept his claim.
"The victim's detailed statement is consistent with the CCTV footage and other witnesses' testimony. But the accused is showing no signs of remorse, and the victim strongly wants him to receive punishment," said Judge Lim Hae-ji in her ruling.