A rich businessman who took more than 60,000 photos of male models, some in compromising poses, has been convicted of indecent assault and criminal intimidation.
The District Court slammed Jerome Lau Ting-sing yesterday as morally despicable in luring the victims so he could take nude photos and molest them. He was likely to face jail because of the serious nature of the case, deputy district judge Ernest Lin Kam-hung said.
Lau, 62, was convicted of one count of indecently assaulting male model A, and two counts of criminally intimidating A and male model D between 2003 and 2008. Another charge of indecent assault, on male actor B, was dismissed.
The court heard earlier that Lau told the models he owned a fashion brand. He enticed them to have their photos taken in G-strings and touched their genitals during the sessions. He later threatened some that he would publicise their pictures.
Lin said Lau obviously took advantage of his financial status and his so-called connections - that he claimed could get the victims more modelling jobs - to 'prey on the gullible. This is not only illegal but also morally despicable', the judge said. He said the nature of the case was almost like blackmail.
In mitigation, lawyer David Boyton asked for a community service order instead of jail as his client had a clean record and the case had been delayed. Police arrested Lau twice in three years, in 2008 and last year.
