Moving services manager sentenced to 3.5 years for molesting girlfriend's daughter

A moving services manager has been sentenced to 3½ years in prison for molesting his girlfriend’s 11-year-old daughter at home and filming and photographing the assaults, with a Hong Kong judge imposing a heavier penalty to reflect the impact on the vulnerable child.

Deputy District Judge Ivy Chui Yee-mei said on Monday that a deterrent sentence was necessary for the 47-year-old defendant, whose offence was “far worse” than most indecent assault cases because he possessed 233 videos and photos taken during the attacks between August 2023 and March 2024.

Citing a psychologist’s report, Chui noted that the defendant was not a paedophile but had shown a sexual interest in his then-girlfriend’s daughter.

The defendant told the psychologist he had been under the influence of alcohol and had mistaken the girl for his girlfriend.

He pleaded guilty to 18 charges: seven counts of indecent assault and 11 counts of possession of child pornography.

He admitted using his phone to take photos and a home security camera to record videos during the assaults. A nude picture of the girl was found in his wallet when he was arrested.

The judge said that as the defendant was seen as a stepfather to the girl, the case involved a serious breach of trust.