10 ex-care home workers jailed for up to 5 years and 4 months over child abuse at Hong Kong residential home
Hong Kong Free Press
Ten former childcare employees have been jailed for up to five years and four months, marking the final sentences for those charged in a child abuse scandal uncovered at a residential home in late 2021.
A total of 12 ex-care home workers appeared at the District Court on Monday morning after they were earlier convicted on charges of child abuse at the Children’s Residential Home in Mong Kok.
Among them, Chiu Wing-sin – who was convicted of 49 counts of child abuse – received the longest jail sentence of five years and four months. Chong Ka-yi was sentenced to three years and two months, while Ng Ka-wing was given a three-year jail sentence.
Seven others received jail terms varying between six and 34 months.
The last two defendants Chan Shun-hing and Sindy Leung, who were each convicted on one count of child abuse, were given 180 hours of community service.
The abuse scandal came to light in December 2021 after police received reports that some children had been abused by staff at an outdoor playground at the residential home, which was run by the NGO Hong Kong Society for the Protection of Children.
After multiple rounds of arrests, at least 39 toddlers and young children were found to have been subject to mistreatment, including “head-hitting, hair-pulling, slapping, tossing the children onto the ground and towards the wall,” according to the prosecution.
The 12 ex-care home workers sentenced on Monday were among 34 charged with child abuse in the case. Two were found not guilty after trial, while the others have already been sentenced.
‘Evil and barbaric’
Handing down the sentences on Monday, judge Lily Wong said the defendants’ acts were “evil and barbaric,” and that they had showed the children no sympathy.
She cited the defence’s mitigation pleas, in which legal representatives said senior staff at the residential home also acted violently towards the children and that the defendants were influenced by their behaviour.
Wong said this was not a reason to reduce their sentences. The caregivers should not have imitated them, and should have banded together to object to those wrongful acts.
The children at the home are all aged three and under, she said, adding that they would not know how to complain if they were abused.
According to the case details, the defendants were in charge of taking care of the children at the residential home, which caters to those whose parents are unable to raise them.
Some of the caretakers shoved or hit the children, with Chiu – who received the heaviest sentence – accused of hitting their heads and pulling a toddler’s hair. Chong, handed the second heaviest sentence, had thrown a sneaker at two boys, the court heard.
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