New taipei: A 41-year-old man has been detained by New Taipei City prosecutors on suspicion of stalking an 18-year-old high school student and attacking her grandmother and a local neighborhood chief when they tried to intervene. The New Taipei District Court approved the detention of the man, surnamed You, on charges of aggravated assault and stalking, citing concerns that he may re-offend or attempt to flee.

According to Focus Taiwan, the incident occurred around 4 p.m. on Tuesday when the student was followed by You while walking home from school. After the student called her grandmother for help, You attacked the grandmother at the front gate of their apartment complex, resulting in severe injuries, including a broken nose and a ruptured liver. The neighborhood chief, who also attempted to intervene, was injured by You before bystanders managed to restrain him.

Police sources revealed that You has been reported eight times since 2023 for sexually harassing female students. Six of these cases led to criminal complaints, primarily resulting in short-term detentions under 60 days. Notably, You was sentenced to 120 days of detention last March but was released early in May.

Local media reports indicate that You holds a government-issued disability certificate, is unemployed, and resides with his family near Luzhou District's Minzhu Road, where the incident took place. Prosecutors have stated that the charges being considered against You, including aggravated assault, assault, and stalking, carry a minimum sentence of more than five years.

The incident has sparked outrage on Taiwanese social media, highlighting public frustration with the legal system's failure to prevent the crime despite You's history of offenses.