Volunteer tutor admits molesting 11-year-old boy
SingTao · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
A 48-year-old man admitted in the District Court to two counts of indecent assault involving an 11-year-old boy during his time as a volunteer tutor at a homework support class run by the Society for Community Organization in 2022.
The case had earlier gone to trial, where he was acquitted on two counts and convicted on one, but the Department of Justice successfully appealed and the case was sent back for a retrial on the acquitted charges.
Deputy District Judge Amy Heung Shuk-han adjourned sentencing to September 3 to obtain background and psychological reports, and ordered the defendant to be remanded in custody.
The court heard that the boy did not want to revisit the incident, so no victim trauma report would be sought.
Key Points
- The defendant, Ho Wing-hang, 48, admitted indecently assaulting the boy on August 20 and August 27, 2022, in Sham Shui Po.
- He had already been convicted over a separate August 13, 2022 indecent assault against the same boy and was sentenced to seven months' imprisonment.
- The boy had attended the community association's homework tutoring class since 2018, while Ho had served as a tutor there since 2011.
- CCTV footage showed Ho touching the boy's thigh, genitals and chest on August 20, and his genitals, buttocks and chest on August 27.
- The judge said Ho repeatedly assaulted the same victim, including multiple acts within eight minutes on August 20 and for more than an hour on August 27.
Why It Matters
The case focuses attention on child safeguarding in community-based tutoring and volunteer programmes in Hong Kong, especially where adults are placed in positions of trust over minors.
It also shows how appellate action can reopen acquittals in criminal proceedings when prosecutors successfully challenge an earlier outcome, leading to a fresh plea and sentencing process.