Taiwan's top court cuts playboy socialite's rape sentence to just over 23 years
Justin Lee, son of finance tycoon Lee Yue-chang, has about eight years taken off his sentence for attacks beginning in 2009
The heir to one of Taiwan’s biggest family fortunes has seen his sentence for sex crimes including rape reduced to 22 years and 10 months upon appeal to the island’s Supreme Court, official media reported on Friday.
Justin Lee, the 30-year-old son of finance tycoon Lee Yue-chang, had been a fixture of the nightclub scene for years when videos of him sexually assaulting unconscious or drunk women began to circulate online in 2011.
He was charged after two sisters filed a complaint, and a Taipei district court found him guilty on nine counts of “non-consensual” sex, as well as 15 counts of violating privacy by filming sex acts with the women.
He was originally handed 18½ years but appealed the sentence. The island’s High Court then handed him 79 years and seven months, for the rape of 14 women and filming himself having sex with six others.
At the time, court officials said he would serve a maximum of 30 years – the most allowed under the law for the offences.
Justin Lee appealed to the island’s top court, which on Friday reduced the sentence to 22 years and 10 months, after finding him guilty of raping five women, the Central News Agency reported.