OITA（TR) – Earlier this year, the Oita District Court sentenced a 26-year-old man to prison for raping an elderly woman in a parking lot in Nakatsu City last year. The victim later died.
On February 22, the court handed Ryuji Sono, of no known occupation, an 8-year prison term for non-consensual sexual intercourse, according to TOS Online (Feb. 22).
“The crime was vile and malicious, and showed a certain degree of planning,” said presiding judge Yasutaka Karashima in handing down the ruling.
At around 11:20 p.m. on September 2, 2023, Sono knocked down the woman, aged in her 70s, as she pushed a bicycle in the parking lot, according to the ruling.
Sono then took her into a multi-purpose toilet and sexually assaulted her. He then stole the woman’s bag, which contained 59,000 yen in cash and a bank card.
Judge Karashima mentioned that Sono could be suffering from a mental disability.
“Sono stated that he was frustrated by his relationships he was engaged in and wanted to relieve his sexual desire,” judge Karasahima said. “He thought the victim would not get pregnant if he had intercourse with her, suggesting that he committed the crime in a short-sighted manner. This suggests the influence of a mental disability.”
Karashima added that some degree of premeditation was conducted.
“He went to the crime scene based on the behavioral patterns of the victim, who was familiar to him,” Karashima added. “Therefore, a certain degree of planning was evident. He also deliberately chose a multi-purpose restroom, which made [the crime] more difficult to detect. He also hid the handbag, which also helped to facilitate the crime. [As a result], there is a limit to how much a disability could have influenced the crime, and he cannot avoid appropriate criticism.”
The prosecution had sought a 10-year term. “It is only natural that the victim, who died after the crime, wanted severe punishment for the defendant,” the prosecution said.
The defense did not appeal the ruling.
