Hong Kong primary school teacher jailed for 23 months for molesting 8 girls in class
- Sentencing judge cites psychological reports that states young victims suffered from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder
A Hong Kong primary school teacher who molested eight female pupils on multiple occasions between 2021 and 2022 has been sentenced to 23 months in prison for 12 counts of indecent assault.
Deputy District Judge Veronica Heung Shuk-han on Friday meted out the sentence to the 27-year-old defendant after citing psychological reports of the young girls showing they had exhibited fear of men, suffered from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder after being sexually assaulted by him in class.
The defendant, who was only identified as Y.W.H, had pleaded guilty to the 12 counts of indecent assault for molesting the girls in a primary school in Tin Shui Wai between 2021 and 2022.
He had initially been charged with four more counts of the same offence, but those were not ultimately brought against him.
In meting out the sentence, Madam Justice Heung considered not just the physical harm but also the psychological damage the defendant had inflicted on victims, who were supposed to be in a safe environment at school and under the care of trusted adults.
“Not only did the defendant indecently assault the victims separately over a period of the time, he also sexually assaulted four of them more than once,” she said, adding that the teacher had “breached the trust” of the pupils and their parents.
The judge pointed to a psychologist’s report that stated the defendant had demonstrated “superficial remorse” and tried to “shift the blame to the victims”.
Another psychologist’s report said that one of the victims, a 9-year-old girl who was touched by the defendant five times during class, had experienced suicidal thoughts due to distress caused by keeping the molestation a secret.
It added that another victim had exhibited self-hatred and thought she was the one to blame for the assault, as she could not make sense of why the defendant had molested her more than six times.
According to the summary of facts read out in court, nearly all the assaults took place in the classroom where the defendant taught.
A few victims recalled that the teacher had touched their breasts when they raised their hands to answer questions, or molested them after asking them to come close to his desk.
Despite his actions, the first psychologist’s report said there was no conclusive indication the defendant was a paedophile or had sexual interest in children.
Seven victims made reports against the defendant to a school counsellor, which prompted an eighth victim to reveal that she too had been sexually assaulted.
The defendant was arrested on November 2022 after the school’s vice principal made a police report.
He is a graduate of the Education University of Hong Kong and took up his first teaching position at the primary school where he committed the offences.
