A man from Nantou County, Taiwan, was found guilty of sexual assault on a minor and was sentenced to three years in prison. The case was brought to the Taichung High Court after the defendant, Lin, appealed the original judgment and sought a reduction of his sentence on the grounds of “meritorious for leniency” under Article 59 of the Criminal Code. The incident occurred on the night of December 25, 2023, at approximately 11 p.m. Lin, who had met the victim through a dating app, rode a motorcycle with the girl—who was under 14 years old—to a business hotel in Nantou City. Inside the hotel room, the two engaged in sexual activity. Lin admitted the crime in court. The trial judge, taking into account the victim’s age and the violation of her physical and mental well‑being, imposed a three‑year prison term. Lin’s appeal was based on the argument that he intended to reconcile with the victim and her family and that a mediation arrangement could justify a lighter sentence. The appellate court, however, found no evidence of genuine intent to reconcile. It noted that Lin had a prior criminal record, including an 8‑month sentence in 2022–2023 for sexual activity with a girl under 16. In that earlier case, the court had also ordered mediation, which Lin failed to attend. During the current case, Lin’s father had promised that his son would attend a mediation session arranged by the Nantou District Court, but Lin again failed to appear. The appellate judge also contacted the victim’s family, who confirmed that they had filed a civil lawsuit and declined any further mediation. The judge criticized Lin’s repeated claims of willingness to reconcile as a tactic to seek a lighter sentence rather than a genuine attempt to make amends. He concluded that Lin’s continued disregard for the law and his repeated failure to attend mediation disqualified him from the leniency provisions of Article 59. The appellate court therefore dismissed Lin’s appeal and upheld the original three‑year sentence, while noting that the defendant could still pursue further appeals.
Article source: United Daily News | Image credit: United Daily News