Taipei, Taiwan — March 22, 2026
A man in Taipei has been sentenced to 20 days of detention after being found guilty of sexually harassing a restaurant employee in an incident that occurred last year.
According to court findings, the suspect, identified as a man surnamed Sun, committed the offense on the evening of August 23, 2025, at around 7:43 PM while dining at a barbecue restaurant. During the incident, a male staff member was assisting another table and was focused on grilling food when Sun suddenly approached him from behind, wrapped his arms around the employee, and forcibly kissed him on the cheek.
The victim immediately pushed Sun away and reported the incident to the police.
Investigators confirmed that Sun admitted to hugging and kissing the employee during questioning. However, he claimed that his actions were influenced by alcohol and insisted that he had no intention of committing sexual harassment, describing the act as a joke.
The court rejected this defense, noting that Sun and the victim were complete strangers with no prior relationship. At the time of the incident, the employee was on duty and attending to customers, making it unreasonable to interpret the act as playful or consensual.
Furthermore, surveillance footage showed that Sun was still able to use his mobile phone, indicating that he was conscious and aware of his actions. The judge ruled that his claim of intoxication was not sufficient to excuse his behavior.
The Taipei District Court concluded that Sun’s actions constituted sexual harassment. Although he had expressed willingness to settle with the victim, mediation efforts ultimately failed, and he did not fully acknowledge responsibility for his conduct.
As a result, the court sentenced him to 20 days of detention, which may be commuted to a fine of NT$20,000.