The gym where the assault allegedly occurred, at 16 Queen Victoria Street. (Photo: Fight Factory Gym)
A 33-year-old Muay Thai personal trainer from Fight Factory Gym in Central (formerly known as Hayabusa) was charged with indecent assault in court yesterday.
A 30-year-old woman suffering from depression joined the gym in July last year after her doctor recommended she exercise more, spending an unbelievable HKD74,000 to pay for a six-year membership, reports Apple Daily.
She went to the gym for her first session, after which her trainer and two other staff members reportedly spent three hours convincing her to shell out an additional HKD110,000 on a personal training package.
Afterwards she got changed, and as she was getting ready to leave, her trainer allegedly said “I want to give you some encouragement”, and hugged her from behind for two to three seconds, grabbing her breasts.
“It’s a love hug,” he allegedly added.
“I felt like that is closer to indecent assault,” she apparently said.
“To each their own opinion,” he reportedly replied.
The defendant. (Photo: Screenshot via AppleDaily.com)
The victim said she was so traumatised she couldn’t sleep that night, wondering what she was going to do if every session started this way. She didn’t tell anyone what had happened until she had another appointment with her doctor in November last year. Upon his advice, she made a police report.
During the trial, the defense showed WhatsApp messages exchanged between the woman and other gym staff the evening after the training, in which she sent laughing emoji, claiming that it showed she was relaxed.
She said that she was “concealing herself” and that she didn’t call the police because she was “still scared”.
The case has been adjourned until Sept. 17.
NOTE: This article previously stated that the case was adjourned until Dec. 17. That is incorrect. It was adjourned until Sep. 17. We regret the error.
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