Actor 'molested' in nude photo shoot
An actor told a court yesterday how he was molested by a wealthy businessman who had persuaded him to strip for a nude photo session.
He said Jerome Lau Ting-sing told him to wear a G-string back to front and touched his private parts several times during the photo session. Lau also asked him if he wanted to provide paid sex services to rich women.
Lau, who turns 62 tomorrow, pleaded not guilty in the District Court to two counts of indecent assault on male models A and B and two counts of criminal intimidation of male models A and D. The offences allegedly took place between 2003 and 2008.
The court heard that actor B - who was then a part-time model - met Lau in Causeway Bay in 2005. Lau introduced himself as Andy and asked him if he was interested in casting as a model for his fashion brand. A few days later, Lau called and invited him to his Happy Valley flat.
Lau initially took photos of B with a vest on. He later asked B to take if off and put on a G-string.
'Andy told me that many of his clients wanted to see my body clearly and asked me to wear it back to front,' B testified behind a screen.
He said he felt humiliated when Lau touched his private parts several times while adjusting his pose.
'I was photographed unwillingly for a few pictures. I felt uncomfortable,' he said. 'I thought it was just casting and I was all right with removing my top. Wearing underwear was my limit. But he kept on shooting, so it was not nice to stop him.'
B said he was later photographed completely naked.
During the session, Lau asked if B wanted to earn money by providing sex services to rich women, but he turned it down, the court heard. He said the photo session lasted about two hours and Lau said he would contact him if there was another job.
Under questioning by defence counsel David Boyton, B rejected suggestions he had voluntarily worn a G-string back to front, smiled seductively at Lau or flirted with him. Boyton showed the court photos of B in obscene poses and massaging Lau's feet while naked. B said Lau had asked him to pose like that. He also denied Lau had treated him to a meal after the session and given him HK$200 for transport.
He admitted he had later introduced a television actor to Lau for a photo session in the hope of retrieving his own pictures. 'It was very selfish but I needed to protect myself.'
Co-accused Lo Yan-kit, 27, of boyband 4anda, pleaded guilty and was convicted of criminally intimidating actor D in 2008. Lo told police Lau had asked him to threaten to put D's nude photos on gay websites. He said he dared not defy Lau because he also possessed photos of Lo.
The court imposed a gagging order to protect the identities of the witnesses. Lau and Lo were both granted bail. The case continues today before Deputy Judge Ernest Lin Kam-hung.
