Activist denies charges of indecent assault of fellow inmate at Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre

A Hong Kong activist known as the “female village leader of Occupy Mong Kok” on Thursday denied two counts of indecent assault after being accused of kissing a 17-year-old female inmate and touching her genitals.  

Amy Pat Wai-fan, 26, was charged with indecently assaulting another woman, called X, in the day room of Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre in Tuen Mun on a day between February 8 and 22, 2021, and indecently assaulting her again in the bathroom on February 23 of the same year.  

She appeared at West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on Thursday and denied both charges.  

The prosecution and the defense admitted the fact that Pat had been remanded at Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre from September 17, 2020, while X was remanded there from February 8 to 25, 2021, and was sent to Lai King Correctional Institution on February 25, 2021. After that, Pat was arrested for indecent assault on April 14, 2021.  

X testified via video, saying that after meeting Pat at Siu Lam, she asked her to be her girlfriend. X thought Pat was “annoying,” so she reluctantly agreed but didn’t really mean it. She said she only treated Pat as a female inmate, whereas she seemed to take it seriously.  

She said she was shocked when Pat kissed her on her cheek and mouth in the day room one day in February 2021.  

Later on the morning of February 23 or 24 last year, when she was showering with other female inmates in the bathroom, she told Pat that she had gotten better and could return to Lai King Correctional Institution in a few days. Pat suddenly took hold of her, saying, “I hate to part with you.”  

She continued that Pat then kissed her and touched her genitals. She was shocked and pushed her away, then quickly dressed and left the bathroom.  

X said she didn’t tell Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre officers because they had slammed her as “useless” and “having no improvement after being taught.” Hence, she was afraid they wouldn’t believe her and chose to tell Lai King Correctional Institution officers instead.