Once more, the context, the full story, may not make things better for him.

He may deserve a stricter punishment than you would be willing to give him without the context.

Understanding is not defending him. It is defending the research of a fair judgement.

I especially invite you to think about the fact he could be reacting judgementaly to that she says, without taking the time to understand fully. As you are reacting now. And that it would be very wrong of him.