Cho Tae Kwon’s actions are deplorable and inexcusable. It’s horrifying to see someone take advantage of an intoxicated and vulnerable individual. His sentencing reflects the seriousness of his crimes, and hopefully, it serves as a deterrent to others. It’s commendable that the victim had the courage to speak up and report the assault, leading to the perpetrator facing legal consequences for his actions. It’s crucial for society to stand against such misconduct and support survivors of assault.
The events leading to Cho’s assault on the victim highlight the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption and the importance of personal safety. Both Cho and the victim were under the influence of alcohol, which impaired their judgment and made them vulnerable to such a tragic incident.
Cho’s actions serve as a sobering reminder of the consequences of irresponsible behavior, especially in social settings where alcohol is involved. It’s crucial for individuals to drink responsibly and be aware of their surroundings to prevent such unfortunate situations from occurring.
The case underscores the need for continued education and awareness about consent, alcohol consumption, and personal safety to ensure the well-being of everyone in our communities.
The victim felt exhausted after hanging up in the pool area and collapsed onto a couch, where she passed out at 3:51 a.m.
Cho saw the victim as he went from his apartment to the pool area at 4:24 in the morning. He took a seat in a chair beside the trash can that overlooked the swimming pool, where he often smoked.
After some time, Cho saw the victim was dozing off, and he spent the next thirty seconds or so observing her.
He touched the victim at 4:27 in the morning when she was still unconscious. After that, he tried to rape the woman after molesting her.
The woman briefly awoke during the attack, but she was unconscious and lacked the strength to fend off Cho’s advances.
Cho gave the woman a hard kiss at 4:42 in the morning. When she started to wake up, she was startled to see the man lying on top of her.
He ignored the woman’s repeated requests to stop. Following a struggle, they both tumbled off the couch, but Cho dragged the victim over to him and began to abuse her. After some time, the victim was able to release himself.
She hurriedly packed up her things and took Cho’s shorts with her, and at around 4.47 am, she ran away.
After putting on his underpants, Cho went back to his apartment to get a change of shorts before making his way back to the pool area. The victim stayed on the floor for a while, but he couldn’t find her. How he discovered which floor she lived on was not disclosed in court records.
Closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras at the building’s pool area, elevator, and lift lobbies recorded part of the incident.
When the victim awoke later that morning, she was able to recall the sexual assault, but not all of the specifics. She sobbed as she told her roommates what had occurred.
The group reported what had occurred to a building guest service agent. After looking over CCTV evidence, this officer filed a police report.
The prosecution requested a minimum of eight to nine years in prison, with an extra four and a half months to be served in lieu of caning. Cho is too old to be caned; he is too old.
In this instance, the accused profited from his drunk neighbor who was relaxing on the couch in their serviced apartment’s common area.
Cho had tried to rape the girl for six minutes, according to Deputy Public Prosecutor Claire Poh. “Seeing that the victim was fast asleep and that they were alone, the accused seized upon the opportunity to gratify his lust on her.”
Mimi Ahn and Genesa Tan, Cho’s attorneys, asked for five years and four months in prison.
According to Ms. Ahn, their client expressed regret for the situation that night and expressed a desire to see his family in South Korea, particularly his elderly parents who are financially dependent on him.
Ms. Ahn contended that the victim’s level of drunkenness should not have as much weight when determining the sentence. She emphasized that the victim had departed to get her groceries, had not needed assistance when walking, and had chatted on the phone with her boyfriend.
According to Ms. Ahn, the victim had time to gather her stuff after the offense before leaving.
Judge Dedar Singh Gill stated that he identified “one clear aggravating factor” in Cho’s condition, which was her “highly vulnerable” status.
“The defence seeks to downplay the level of intoxication of the victim by drawing attention to the fact that she consumed alcohol some two hours before the offence was committed (and) by the prosecution’s account and the CCTV was conscious enough to … go out to buy groceries and call her boyfriend,” said Justice Gill.
He claimed that this did not, however, address the “critical issue” that was brought up to him, which was the victim’s condition both before and after the offenses.
Justice Gill further explained that although Cho had attempted rape, he had only stopped when the victim started to regain consciousness and had repeatedly asked him to stop.
A person who attempts to commit rape faces a maximum 20-year prison sentence, a fine, or even the cane.
A person found guilty of molesty faces a maximum three-year jail sentence, a fine, a caning, or any combination of these punishments.
