Years of physical and psychological abuse by his parents may have tipped a university student who sent electronic hate-mail to an anti-sexual harassment group over the edge, a psychologist said yesterday.
Professor Peter Lee Wing-ho, a consultant clinical psychologist at Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth hospitals, told Western Court he saw 'a very promising intelligent young man' in Au Wai-kong, but said he also had 'a very unfortunate childhood'.
Abuse at the hands of his parents had rendered Au 'very sensitive to signs of attack', Professor Lee said.
Au, 19, has admitted sending the messages, but denies criminal intimidation against the XX Group.
The eldest of two children, he was 'frequently caught between the quarrels and fights between his father and his mother', the court heard.
Au was often forced to take cold showers in winter and was once made to stand in the cold naked for half an hour when he was young, Professor Lee said.
