Photo: VCG

A court in East China's Jiangxi Province has sentenced a man to two years and four months in prison for deliberately damaging a colleague's car brake hose in retaliation after being mocked, according to a statement released on the court's official WeChat account.

The defendant surnamed Zhong, and the victim, surnamed Zhang, were colleagues at the same company. Zhong reportedly became resentful after Zhang mocked his personal conduct in front of other co-workers. Late one night, Zhong went to the company's dormitory and cut the rear right brake tube of Zhang's car using a utility knife, the statement said. 

The following afternoon, Zhang noticed something abnormal with his vehicle while driving. A subsequent repair revealed that the brake hose had been deliberately damaged. Fortunately, no traffic accident occurred. 

The statement said the court determined that Zhong's actions constituted the crime of sabotaging a means of transportation. Taking into account his voluntary surrender, guilty plea, compensation for losses, and the victim's forgiveness, the court imposed a prison sentence of two years and four months. 

Global Times