Executive offered to scratch boy's genitals in steam room, court told

The managing director of an investment company offered to scratch the private parts of a 15-year-old boy in a steam room at the prestigious Hong Kong Country Club, a court heard yesterday.

Allen Chan Zoony-yee, 60, also patted the teenager's bottom and touched himself while looking at him, it was alleged - two of a number of encounters that took place at the club on the same day.

Chan pleaded not guilty in Eastern Court to indecent conduct towards a child under 16 at the Wong Chuk Hang club on February 8. He said the youth misunderstood something he had said.

In a videotaped interview with police that was shown in court, the teenager said he first saw Chan in the club's sauna and the older man struck up a conversation about Turkish massages. The teen said he found it interesting, then left.

Later, after taking a shower, he saw Chan again in a steam room. At one point, he got up to get a dry towel to replace his wet one, and as he was leaving, Chan patted his right buttock. 'At first I just thought he wanted to be friendly,' the teen said.

However, after he returned and the two were sitting naked in the steam room, he said Chan started touching himself while looking at the teen's private parts. He said Chan then asked him whether he would like him to scratch his private parts. The teenager said he felt scared and left, then told his mother at the poolside. He later saw Chan leave the changing rooms and return his key. After Chan had left, the teen and his mother found out Chan's identity by asking club staff.