Hong Chi warden slapped 13yr prison terms over rape of female resident

An assistant warden at a care home under Hong Chi Association has been sentenced to 13 years in prison at the High Court for raping an intellectually disabled female resident at the facility in 2024.

The 37-year-old defendant, Chung Pui-kei, reached the High Court by a prison van.

The case took place between July and August in 2024. Chung served as an assistant warden at Hong Chi Pinehill Integrated Vocational Training Centre Kwong Fuk Hostel in Tai Po -- responsible for taking care of residents' daily lives.

On five separate occasions, he took a 23-year-old intellectually disabled female resident, whose mental age was under 10, to the male staff room and raped her.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to five counts of rape.

Following the trial, the jury found him guilty on all charges. When handing down the sentence, the High Court Judge cited multiple aggravating factors in this case.

As the victim is a mentally incapacitated person, the defendant knew full well that the victim was even akin to a child, incapable of resisting an adult male in a position of power like the defendant.

As a professional care worker, the defendant took advantage of the situation and abused the victim's desire for care and affection. After committing the offence for the first time, he raped her four more times within a short period, enticing her including with snacks on each occasion.

This constituted a breach of trust and was a premeditated crime.

On the defendant's bodily fluid found on the victim's bed sheets, Chung claimed in his own defence that it was because he sweated while wearing shorts.

The judge slammed this explanation as utterly absurd, wasting the time of the court and the jury.

He described the behaviour as extremely disgusting and shocking, noting there was no report showing any remorse.

Chung was eventually slapped a 13 year prison term.

The police welcomed the court's ruling and believe it will have a deterrent effect.

Hong Chi Association said earlier that it has established an independent review committee to examine existing protection measures to prevent similar violations from happening again.