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SCMP Reporter

A DISTRAUGHT mentally retarded teenager was ruled unfit to give evidence yesterday against a shopkeeper accused of having sex with her illegally.

   Judge Wong made the ruling after the 17-year-old, who was said to have a mental age of nine, struggled to answer questions.

  Even with her mother, a translator and a clinical psychologist comforting her, the Fujianese-speaking teenager was overwhelmed by the District Court surroundings.

   The judge, who adjourned the case until Monday, said: ''The girl is obviously not in a fit state to give evidence.''   Law Muk-chung, 38, denied four charges of unlawful sexual intercourse with a defective.

  It was alleged he had sex with her four times in three weeks at his shop, in a park and at her flat.

   Police clinical psychologist Debbie Mung Sai-ying said the teenager had an IQ of 55 - equivalent to a mental age of about nine years.

   She said she had difficulty in social situations, and could probably not carry out tasks like handling money easily.

  Prosecutor Paul Madigan said the girl met Law because she often bought beer for her father from the shop where he worked.

   At 9.30 pm on April 20 last year she went to the shop, where Law closed the shutters and told her to lie on a bed.

   He stripped her and had sex with her, but told her not to tell anybody, Mr Madigan said.

   Two nights later at the same time he again kissed and had sex with the girl on the premises, the court heard.

   Law arranged to meet her the next night but a customer was in the shop so he took her to a park and had sex there, Mr Madigan said.

   On May 9 he followed her home after she visited the shop in the afternoon and again had sex with her, the court heard.

   The girl's mother returned home to find her daughter looking frightened and saw Law running off.

   She asked her daughter what had happened and was told of the previous incidents, Mr Madigan said.

   The trial continues.



Retarded girl in no state to give evidence