A schoolgirl was spared prolonged torture, humiliation and serious injuries after her best friend made an escape and reported the incident to police after watching her being stripped, beaten and forced to snort washing powder at a Tin Shui Wai flat, a court heard yesterday.
The victim, now 17, whose name the court ordered could not be revealed, went with three friends to the home of Chung Ka-lun, 24, and his co-accused Chau Chun-tat, 34, for a party on September 26 last year.
Chung at first denied one count of indecent assault, and one count each of false imprisonment and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He changed his plea to guilty in the middle of the first day of the trial yesterday in the District Court.
Chau, who was accused of a count of indecent assault, as well as one count each of false imprisonment and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, maintained his not guilty plea.
The party spun out of control when Chung burst into rage and accused the victim of lying.
The schoolgirl's friend, who was only identified as Ms Lam, said yesterday she was frightened something awful would happen to her friend.
Ms Lam said Chau and Chung repeatedly beat and burned the girl and threatened she would not be able to survive the Mid-Autumn Festival, which was in October last year.