The robber who broke into a house with a fake gun and robbed him of 5,000 yuan, paid 10,000 yuan and got half a year's sentence reduced.

A man surnamed Li was sentenced to eight years for breaking into a house with a toy gun and stealing NT$5,000. In the second trial, he was given a reduced sentence of half a year by paying a compensation of NT$10,000. Schematic diagram (data photo)

A man surnamed Li used a toy and fake gun to break into a house and rob a woman who lived alone. He was sentenced to 8 years in prison in the first instance. During the second instance of Li's appeal, he reached a settlement with Li and compensated her 10,000 yuan. The judge believed that he was sincere in making up for the loss and slightly reduced the 8-year sentence to 7 years and 6 months.

The verdict pointed out that in July 2025, when a man surnamed Li was cycling to the Qishan area because he was short of money, he saw a woman surnamed Li who lived alone talking on the phone outside the house. He quietly approached her and used a toy pistol to force the woman surnamed Li to kneel down. He then took her into the house and confiscated 5,000 yuan in cash.

After the first-instance trial at the Qiaotou District Court, the judge believed that Mr. Li was severely malignant and sentenced him to eight years in prison for the crime of invading a house and committing robbery while carrying a weapon. Li Nan appealed, and during the second instance trial, he quickly established mediation with the woman surnamed Li and paid 10,000 yuan in compensation to make up for the loss. He hoped that Article 59 of the Criminal Law, "Excusable circumstances," could be used to significantly reduce the sentence.

During the trial at the Kaohsiung High Court, the judge held that Mr. Li was in his prime but premeditated the robbery, threatened the elderly woman with a fake gun, seriously endangered social security, and had a long criminal record and was extremely vicious. Considering that Li Nan confessed to the crime and reconciled with the victim, Li Nan was sentenced to 7 years and 6 months in prison. The whole case can still be appealed.