A District Court judge yesterday sentenced a 26-year-old man to three years in jail for having sex with two girls - who were only aged 12 and 13 at the time - shortly after he had served a two-year term for a similar offence in 2001.
In sentencing Chan Wing-jim, Deputy Judge Amanda Woodcock said Chan was an 'experienced offender' and he should have determined whether the two victims were under age.
Noting that both victims considered themselves to be Chan's girlfriends, Deputy Judge Woodcock said the public demanded legal protection for young girls.
'No one should be allowed to take advantage of [the girls'] immaturity,' she said, adding that she found the age gap between Chan and the girls to be significant.
Chan, who pleaded guilty to seven charges of having unlawful sexual intercourse with girls under the age of 16 and 13, admitted he had cultivated 'a girlfriend and boyfriend' relationship with the two girls at different times.
The court was told that the offences took place in April 2004 and between August and September last year, in Chan's home in Tuen Mun, and both victims were runaways at the time.
The court heard they met Chan on the internet and through personal ads in a magazine.