Yuen Long councilor sentenced to 2.5 years over sex with underage girl

Yuen Long District Councilor Shi Chun-hing was jailed for two and a half years on Tuesday for unlawful sex with a 13-year-old minor, after a District Court judge found he showed no remorse. 

The 39-year-old was convicted of unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl known to the court as X in 2011, but acquitted of indecently assaulting her in 2008. 

The court heard that Shi met X when she was 11, back when he was a teaching assistant with a primary school drama group.

The relationship turned romantic about two and a half years later, and Shi allegedly had sexual intercourse with X, who was 13, at a flat in Tin Shui Wai on March 14, 2011.

Handing down the sentence, Judge Stanley Chan Kwong-chi said Shi had failed to show remorse or offer an apology, noting that of nine mitigation letters submitted, none came from Shi himself. 

Chan further described the offense as premeditated and faulted Shi for having unprotected sex with the minor, putting her at risk of disease.  

Citing a clinical psychologist's report, he added that X suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and requires psychotherapy. 

He stressed that the court must protect children and that the sentence must serve as a deterrent, handing down 2.5 years with no reduction.

Shi's council remuneration and allowances have been suspended since he was remanded, and he now faces forfeiting his seat under the District Councils Ordinance, which bars any councilor sentenced to more than three months in prison. 

The Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs has previously received a letter from the Yuen Long District Council chairman and three district councilors to initiate an investigation, with a supervisory committee to be appointed.

Govt suspends councillor pay and convenes inquiry committee

The government responded to the sentencing by emphasizing its strict expectations regarding the integrity and personal conduct of public officers. In an official statement, the administration reiterated that any district councillor sentenced to imprisonment for more than three months without the option of a fine faces automatic disqualification from office. 

Because the window for lodging a legal appeal remains open, officials confirmed that they are monitoring the ongoing judicial process closely.

Despite the pending appeal period, the government took immediate financial action by halting all of Sei’s councillor salaries and allowances, with the suspension retroactively applied to his date of conviction on September 14. 

Additionally, the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Alice Mak Mei-kuen, appointed an independent monitoring committee to conduct a formal investigation into Sei’s conduct under the established performance monitoring guidelines. 

The administration stated that the committee will determine further administrative actions as the legal proceedings reach their final conclusion.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓