For oppression in office, whether by undue personal violence, cruelty or taking an amount of property in an unreasonable proportion to the sum to be collected, or for any willful official misconduct, habitual negligence, habitual drunkenness or fraud, a constable shall be liable to an action for damages by the party aggrieved. But if in any such action the plaintiff fails to recover he shall be liable to be mulcted in double or treble costs, by order and at the discretion of the presiding judge.
S.C. Code § 22-9-160