When a magazine editor learned that a 14-year-old girl had had an 'unhappy experience' in modelling, this raised his suspicions.
Lai Gee-kin's concerns led to the unmasking of an online sexual predator who had lured 11 under-age girls into taking pornographic pictures. His suspicions also led to the sexual predator receiving a four-year jail term and to Lai receiving a Good Citizen Award from the police yesterday.
Lai, who is also an amateur photographer, was looking for models on the '3 boys 2 girls' internet forum when he found the girl's comment and learned that she had once posed naked for a man claiming to be a photographer.
The girl led Lai, 31, to the man's house in Tsuen Wan, of which he took photographs. He later posted a message on the forum to see if there were any other victims and others came forward.
He persuaded two of the 14-year-old victims to report the case, after police said officers could not press charges because, even though he reported it, Lai was not a victim.
'It took a long time,' Lai said. 'They were afraid that their parents would find out, so they were reluctant to go to the police.'