A middle-aged man surnamed Huang from Nantou County has been sentenced to three months in prison after deliberately trying to get himself arrested by attacking police officers at a convenience store.
Last month, Huang, who has a history of public endangerment and previous prison time, caused a disturbance late one evening at a convenience store in Puli. He had been drinking and was verbally abusive to the staff. When they asked him to leave, he refused, prompting them to call the police.
Two officers arrived at the scene, but instead of calming down, Huang—struggling with his difficult living situation and reportedly wanting to “eat free jail meals”—attempted to grab their batons. During the struggle, one officer was scratched, but Huang was eventually subdued and taken to the station.
During questioning, Huang admitted that he intentionally tried to get arrested in order to serve time in jail, citing his hardships outside as his motivation. Prosecutors charged him with obstruction of official duties, and the Nantou District Court upheld the charge, sentencing him to three months in prison.
The court noted that if Huang cannot pay a fine in lieu of prison, he will finally get his wish of “free jail time.”
