Infamous social media celebrity Lau Chun-hin - also known as Lau Ma Che - has been arrested in Tin Shui Wai on suspicion of indecently assaulting five girls aged 13 to 16 from last month to New Year's Day in Tin Shui Wai and Tuen Mun.

Police have received reports from the girls since last month.

The victims said they were assaulted by a man in Sheung Shui and Tuen Mun.

It is suspected that Lau repeatedly approached the victims in shopping malls of housing estates in Tin Shui Wai and Tuen Mun by pretending to be asking for directions or picking up items on the ground.

He is accused of fleeing from the scene immediately after touching the girls' calves or thighs.

Lau was identified by Yuen Long police officers with the help of photos of his back torso taken by victims and surveillance camera footage.

The 27-year-old was arrested at 9am yesterday, just one month after he appeared in Shatin Magistrates' Courts on December 2 for allegedly indecently assaulting a 13-year-old girl on November 29 in the same district.

While running at a sports ground in Tin Shui Wai, the girl was approached by Lau, who pretended to ask for directions and allegedly touched her left thigh with his right hand.

Police said they attach great importance to sexual violence crimes and will deploy uniformed and plainclothes officers to "conduct high-profile patrols."

According to the Crimes Ordinance, a person who commits indecent assault shall be liable to a conviction on indictment and imprisonment for 10 years.

As of last night, Lau was still being detained.

According to records, Lau is no stranger when it comes to sex crimes. He was sentenced to five weeks of imprisonment last August for indecently assaulting another three girls, aged between 13 and 15.

On April 26, a 13-year-old girl riding an escalator at Tin Shui Wai MTR station heard the sound of coins falling before Lau rubbed her thighs from the top to the bottom for a couple of seconds. He touched another victim's left leg 10 minutes later at the same station.

Two days later, he sexually assaulted a third girl at a Starbucks at Harbor Plaza Resort City Tower 1.

Additionally, in 2016, Lau was jailed for two-and-a-half years by Shenzhen Futian People's Court for obscene acts against children. He was arrested for sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl at the badminton court in Tin Yan Estate in March 2019.

Lau was again arrested in July 2019 for obscene acts on the mainland and was later jailed for three years and six months. He subsequently created a YouTube channel, hoping that the public would give him a second chance.

stacy.shi@singtaonewscorp.com

Internet celeb faces new claims of assaulting young girls