A truck driver in Taiwan has been sentenced to six months in prison after he was caught masturbating inside his parked vehicle in a brightly lit roadside area, with the court rejecting his claim that he was merely applying medicine to an inflamed private area.
The man, surnamed Chiu, was driving a light truck through an area in Miaoli at around 8.50pm on July 2, 2025, when he pulled over by the roadside and lowered his window.
A passer-by reportedly saw Chiu exposing his genitals and masturbating inside the vehicle before alerting police and filing a complaint for public indecency.
During the investigation, Chiu admitted that he had exposed his genitals at the location and time in question but denied committing public indecency.
He initially claimed that his private area was inflamed and ulcerated and that he had stopped by the roadside to apply medication because it was painful.
He later changed his explanation, saying his lower body had become itchy while he was waiting at a traffic light and that he had pulled over to scratch the area. He claimed he turned on the light because there were too many mosquitoes.
However, the witness gave a different account, telling the court that Chiu had placed his mobile phone in front of the steering wheel while an adult video was playing.
The witness said Chiu’s hand movements continued for about 10 minutes and did not resemble someone inspecting an injury or applying medication. No medicine, ointment or iodine solution was found inside the vehicle.
The court also reviewed Chiu’s medical records and found that he only sought treatment for balanitis several months after the incident. There were no medical records showing he had sought treatment before the incident.
The judge therefore found his explanations inconsistent and contrary to ordinary circumstances, and rejected his defence.
The court said Chiu had committed the act in a public place for personal gratification, disturbing public decency and causing discomfort and disgust to members of the public who witnessed it.
The judge also noted that Chiu had at least three previous convictions for public indecency. As he intentionally committed another offence within five years of completing his previous sentence, he was legally considered a repeat offender.
Chiu was sentenced by the summary court to six months in prison, with the sentence eligible to be converted to a fine under Taiwan’s legal provisions.
He appealed against the sentence, but the Miaoli District Court upheld the original punishment, citing his poor criminal record and his continued denial of the offence after being caught.
The ruling is now final.
