Parlour owner who put acid in products WON’T be jailed

A massage parlour owner has avoided immediate jail time in Queensland after putting hydrochloric acid in one of his employee’s beauty products.  

Dae Ik Kim fronted the Brisbane District Court on Thursday, where it was heard he put amounts of the corrosive substance in his employee’s beauty products in August 2015.

Judge Ian Dearden said it was ‘deeply disturbing’ that he had entered the apartment of the South Korean woman and her husband to put hydrochloric acid in orange juice, milk and three bottles of the woman’s cosmetics.

Dae Ik Kim fronted the Brisbane District Court on Thursday, where it was heard he put amounts of the corrosive substance in his employee’s beauty products in August 2015

However, Kim later returned to the couple’s unit and replaced the orange juice and milk, and the prosecution did not pursue a charge relating to the drinks.

Prolonged skin exposure to low concentrations of the substance could result in dermatitis, crown prosecutor Danny Boyle said.

While the complainants didn’t suffer actual harm, the judge said Kim’s conduct carried a ‘significant’ risk of inflicting it on the husband and wife.

However he noted Kim’s immediate remorse, apology and payment of $10,000 in compensation and sentenced him to 10 months behind bars, wholly suspended for a year.

However, Kim later returned to the couple’s unit and replaced the orange juice and milk, and the prosecution did not pursue a charge relating to the drinks

The court heard Kim admitted he thought the woman was ‘more than just a friend’ and felt betrayed when she said she would quit her job.

‘He just lost it … he stated ‘I committed an unspeakable crime’,’ Mr Boyle said Kim told them.

Kim knew the couple in South Korea and encouraged them to move to Australia, which they did in April 2015.

Before being sentenced, Kim said via a translator he had ‘suffered’ since he committed he crimes.

‘I’m deeply regretful for my actions,’ he said.