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Brian Wong

A former assistant warden at a care home run by Hong Kong’s largest NGO for people with intellectual disabilities has been convicted of raping a female resident five times two years ago.
Wednesday’s High Court verdict against Chung Pui-kei moves a high-profile case towards its resolution after it sparked intense public anger and government warnings, leading the Hong Chi Association to appoint an independent review committee headed by a former Law Society president to overhaul facility oversight.
The jury of five men and two women found Chung guilty of five counts of raping the mentally incapacitated resident who lived at a Tai Po home operated by the association.
The jury rejected the 38-year-old defendant’s contention that the 23-year-old victim might have fabricated the allegations out of grievance or jealousy after her romantic feelings for him went unrequited.
The trial heard that the woman, whose intellectual functioning was equivalent to that of a nine-year-old, considered Chung a “very friendly” warden who often chatted with her, played video games with her, and occasionally gave her marshmallows.
Prosecutors accused the defendant of abusing the woman’s trust and raping her three times in a male staff room and twice in her room between July 13 and August 9, 2024.
The woman said she had sometimes refused or expressed discomfort, but had not dared to speak out for fear of being scolded by the accused.
Police recovered condoms and other items associated with sexual intercourse from Chung’s locker. They also seized a bedsheet from the woman’s room that contained the defendant’s semen and the complainant’s DNA.
Giving evidence, Chung denied ever having sex with the woman and said their interactions had been limited to casual conversation.
Seeking to explain his presence in the women’s ward on August 9, 2024, Chung said he had gone there to inspect the area after receiving a report of a suspected fire.
He said he decided to stay and spent an hour with the woman because she was having difficulty sleeping that night.

Asked to explain the semen on the bedsheet, the former assistant warden insisted that he had not ejaculated, while suggesting the bodily fluid could instead have been his sweat.
A hospital psychiatrist confirmed that the woman had been diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder but said she had not displayed psychotic symptoms during two assessments in August and November 2024.
Senior Public Prosecutor Human Lam Hiu-man rejected the defendant’s account as far-fetched and illogical. She stressed that the woman had been mentally stable and that her allegations could not have resulted from hallucinations.
While Chung claimed the woman had romantic feelings for him, Lam said the defendant could not have expected a mentally incapacitated person to consent to sexual conduct.
Defence counsel Lawrence Hui Cheuk-lun sought to discredit the woman’s account by highlighting discrepancies in her version of events.
The lawyer referred to surveillance-camera footage that appeared to show the woman entering Chung’s room voluntarily. He also questioned why she had not suffered physical or psychological trauma.
Mr Justice Douglas Yau Tak-hong will pass sentence on October 14, pending a victim impact report and psychiatric and psychological assessments of the accused.
Chung has remained in custody since being charged on August 17, 2024.
The defendant was also originally charged with committing a grossly indecent act on a male resident at the home on August 3, 2024. However, prosecutors later dropped the charge, citing insufficient evidence.
The case is the second in which an association employee was found guilty of raping an intellectually disabled resident in the NGO’s care.
The association and the Social Welfare Department revealed Chung’s case in separate statements published more than two months after the start of criminal proceedings.
The labour chief defended the delay, saying authorities had to consider the feelings of victims and their families. The association also said in a reply at the time that it had no intention to conceal the crime.
The department also issued a written warning to the care home after an investigation found that it had failed to put effective measures in place to protect residents from abuse.


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Hong Kong courts

Former care home warden guilty of raping intellectually disabled female resident

Former Tai Po care home assistant warden Chung Pui-kei was found guilty of five counts of rape by a High Court jury. Photo: Nora Tam

Prosecutors accused the defendant of abusing the woman’s trust and raping her three times in a male staff room and twice in her room between July 13 and August 9, 2024. Photo: Jelly Tse

Ex-care home worker accused of raping intellectually disabled woman 5 times

The woman was allegedly raped five times at a residential home in Tai Po. Photo:  Jelly Tse

Former Hong Kong teacher gets 18 months in prison for molesting student twice

Cheng Hon-sze attends court in June this year. Photo: Brian Wong

Cheng was sentenced at Tsuen Wan Court after being found guilty of two counts of indecent assault for groping the student and making her perform an obscene act in May and October 2020. Photo: Jelly Tse

News

Hong Kong

Law and Crime

Chung Pui-kei, former assistant warden at Tai Po home run by Hong Chi Association, convicted of raping resident five times in 2024


Chung Pui-kei, former assistant warden at Tai Po home run by Hong Chi Association, convicted of raping resident five times in 2024.


Crime in Hong Kong

Sexual harassment and assault

Former care home warden guilty of raping intellectually disabled female resident

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Chung Pui-kei, former assistant warden at Tai Po home run by Hong Chi Association, convicted of raping resident five times in 2024

Chung Pui-kei, former assistant warden at Tai Po home run by Hong Chi Association, convicted of raping resident five times in 2024