A Keelung motorcycle shop owner was sentenced to four months in jail after beating a female employee and forcing her to take on a customer's unpaid debt — a win for the worker, who was held responsible for money she never borrowed.

• The owner blamed a staff member after a customer she had introduced failed to repay a NT$300,000 loan.
• He pressured her overnight at a police station until she agreed to shoulder half the debt.
• Hours later he kicked in her apartment door, dragged her back to the shop, and left her bruised.
• He put a melon knife on the table while she signed five promissory notes worth NT$250,000 total.
• The court threw out his denial after phone records showed his witness arrived after the signing.

Outlook: The sentence can be converted to a fine of NT$120,000, and the coerced notes are likely to be challenged as invalid.