Ex-care home supervisor jailed 13 years for raping disabled resident
A former assistant warden at a Hong Kong care home for the disabled was sentenced to 13 years in prison on 14 October for five counts of rape against a 21-year-old resident with mild intellectual disability. Police welcomed the ruling, saying it serves as a deterrent.
A former assistant warden at a Hong Kong care home for people with intellectual disabilities was sentenced to 13 years in prison on 14 October after being convicted of five counts of rape against a resident. The High Court handed down the sentence following a trial in August and September.
Police said the offences occurred between July and August 2024. The victim, then 21 years old, had a mild intellectual disability and a mental age equivalent to a child of nine years and eight months. She lived in a hostel that provided residential care and vocational training for people with intellectual disabilities.
During the incidents, the male assistant warden took the victim to a staff rest room and sexually assaulted her. The case came to light after the victim disclosed the abuse during a later meeting. Police launched a multi-angle investigation, reviewed closed-circuit television footage, and quickly identified the suspect, who was then 38 years old.
Investigators interviewed the victim's family, hostel staff, a clinical psychologist from the Social Welfare Department and a psychiatrist to assess the victim's intelligence, mental state and psychological condition. CCTV footage showed the defendant repeatedly taking the victim alone into the staff rest room or entering her room by himself. After detailed video-recorded interviews with the victim, police identified five separate incidents of sexual assault.
The defendant used his authority and identity as a caregiver to sexually assault a person who was mentally incapacitated, police said. He was charged with five counts of rape, and all charges were found proven during the High Court trial from 21 August to 2 September.
Chief Inspector Tam Ching-shan of the Tai Po District Criminal Division welcomed the sentence, saying it would act as a deterrent against similar crimes. She described the case as distressing, noting that the defendant abused the victim's trust through his role as a caregiver. She expressed hope that the victim and her family could start a new life after the case concluded.
Tam also called on the public to report suspicious incidents, saying community vigilance is essential in tackling sexual violence.