American sentenced to two weeks in jail for indecent assault on HKUST student
Magistrate brands financial analyst evasive and says he lacks remorse
An American financial analyst who told a court that Hong Kong was more conservative than the United States was convicted of indecent assault and sentenced to two weeks in jail yesterday.
Magistrate Anthony Yuen Wai-ming said Ronald Hevey, 43, had shown no remorse for inappropriately touching a female Hong Kong University of Science and Technology student.
"You are highly educated and come from a highly civilised society," Yuen said, before passing the sentence at Kwun Tong Court. "Yet you showed no respect [to the victim]."
Hevey, who arrived in court sporting a fake beard, sunglasses and cowboy hat, had denied one count of indecent assault on the student, whom the court referred to as X to protect her identity.
The court heard yesterday that Hevey, a graduate of Yale University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, had conducted a series of indecent acts, including kissing the victim's ear, putting his hand on her underwear and squeezing her buttock.
Hevey visited HKUST last March. While on campus he asked X for directions to the university's Institute for Advanced Study before assaulting her.
He gave the victim a long hug as they reached their destination. After he let go, the two went to a metal railing where Hevey kissed the victim's ear and squeezed her buttock, while putting his arms around her so that they were close to her breasts.