Top court gets tough on drunk criminals

The Supreme Court plans to tighten standards in sentencing for criminals who are drunk following the recent public outcry over a light sentence for a child rapist.

Officials at the top court said yesterday it would introduce a trial manual on defendants who committed crimes while intoxicated.

Last December, an elderly man brutally raped a 8-year-old girl while under the influence of alcohol, leaving her permanently disabled. The man, Cho Doo-soon, was sentenced to only 12 years in jail with his personal information open for public reference for three years.

Clause 10 of the criminal law states that those under abnormal mental or physical conditions should be given a commuted sentence. It has largely been applied to sexual violence cases committed while intoxicated.

After the case, courts generally started to apply maximum sentences to drunken criminals. But for the sake of consistency in ruling, the court has decided to establish a clear set of standards, officials said.

(tellme@heraldm.com)





By Bae Hyun-jung