Defendant laughed at injured worker, pressured him to leave hospital despite need for emergency surgery
A man in his 60s was sentenced to three years in prison Thursday for seriously injuring a Thai worker at his factory by firing a compressed-air gun into the worker's lower body.
The Suwon District Court found the man guilty of inserting the nozzle of a compressed-air gun into the worker's anus and discharging air for approximately seven seconds on Feb. 20 at his metal coating facility in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. The worker had been bent over at his workstation at the time.
The victim, in his 40s, received emergency surgery for a rectal perforation measuring approximately 10 centimeters, but the factory owner threatened the victim before the operation by repeatedly using words such as "illegal immigrant" and "police" while making handcuff gestures.
The court, however, dismissed the charges against his wife, who also served as a director of the company.
During the trial, the defendant denied inserting the nozzle into the worker's anus.
"I acknowledge that I pressed the air gun's trigger about three times to fire compressed air as a joke," the defendant said. "However, it is not true that I inserted the nozzle into the victim's anus and discharged air for seven seconds."
The court rejected his account, citing the victim's testimony and medical records.
"Based on the victim's testimony and medical records, the court finds that the defendant held the victim's bottom with one hand, inserted the nozzle into his anus and discharged compressed air for seven to eight seconds," the presiding judge said.
"The victim said he was in pain, but the defendant continued discharging air for some time without stopping," the judge added.
The court also noted that the defendant showed no remorse despite causing serious injuries to the worker.
"The defendant laughed even as the victim was suffering from his injuries," the judge said. "When the hospital informed him that the victim needed immediate surgery at a larger hospital, the defendant tried to conceal his actions by pressuring the victim to leave that night."
The judge also cited the defendant's decision to deduct the victim's medical expenses from his wages as a factor warranting a substantial prison sentence, despite the defendant having reached a settlement with the victim.
The court also found the defendant guilty of assaulting another foreign worker by pushing down on their head and pulling their hair, rejecting his claim that the actions were merely jokes.
As for the defendant's wife, the court dismissed the charges against her because the offense in question could not be prosecuted against the victim's wishes, and the victim had expressed that they did not want her punished.
Prosecutors had previously sought a seven-year prison sentence for the factory owner and a one-year prison term for his wife.
seungku99@heraldcorp.com