B.A.P’s former member Himchan, who was undergoing trial for sexual assault charges, has avoided imprisonment and received a suspended sentence.
On the morning of the 1st of February, in the trial held at the Seoul Western District Court’s 12th Criminal Division (Presiding Judge Kwon Sung-soo), Himchan was sentenced to 3 years in prison, suspended for 5 years, for violating the Act on the Punishment of Sexual Crimes (filming using a camera or using communication media for obscene acts).
In addition, the trial judge ordered Himchan to receive protective supervision, attend 40 hours of sexual violence treatment lectures, be restricted from employment in institutions related to children, teenagers, and disabled individuals for 3 years, and undergo information disclosure for 3 years.
Himchan is accused of sexually assaulting a victim who he brought to his home in May 2022, illegally filming the act, and sending obscene materials to the victim in June, one month later. Prior to this incident, he was also accused of sexually harassing two women while intoxicated on the external staircase of a bar in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul in April.
During the sentencing hearing held on the 16th of last month, the prosecution sought a 7-year prison sentence for Himchan. At the time, the prosecution stated, “Considering the method, frequency, circumstances, and severity of the acts committed, the victims have suffered extreme pain,” and requested a 7-year prison sentence, as well as the disclosure and notification of personal information, a 10-year ban on employment in institutions related to children, teenagers, and disabled individuals, the attachment of a location tracking device for 3 years, and a 4-year probation order.
Prior to this incident, Himchan was sentenced to actual imprisonment in the appellate court for forcibly molesting a woman in her 20s, referred to as A, at a pension in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, in July 2018. Although he completed a 10-month prison sentence on December 8th of last year, he was arrested for additional sexual assault crimes and has been undergoing trial.
What are your thoughts on this?
Source: (A)
