A senior constable in the Hong Kong police force who was accused of molesting his then-six-year-old daughter, pointing a gun at her head and handcuffing her, was found guilty on three counts of indecent assault, and one count of common assault yesterday.
The 42-year-old father of two had assaulted his child while bathing her by pinching her nipples, fondling her chest, and touching her genitalia and anus on three separate occasions in 2013, the court heard yesterday.
According to Apple Daily, the defendant claimed he was innocent, while his counsel, Eric Kwok, asked for leniency based on the senior constable’s good service records, and on the grounds that he would lose his job and pension if convicted.
Additionally, Kwok reportedly said that three counts of indecent assault weren’t “that serious”, and that the defendant’s occupation as a police officer should not factor the sentencing as he was off-duty at the time.
Kwok claimed the child was urged to lodge false claims against her father as her parents are currently going through a divorce.
Magistrate Raymond Wong emphasised the gravity of the accusations, saying that a prison sentence was “inevitable”. The magistrate said he did not believe a young child would make such serious allegations of an indecent nature if they were false.
Wong cited the fact that, despite being asked over 300 questions during hours of interrogation, the girl’s story had not wavered and was able to recall minor details of the assaults.
The magistrate ordered a psychological and background assessment of the defendant to consult before his sentencing on Feb. 17.
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