Ex-Hong Kong firefighter jailed for 6 years, 3 months for raping friend at hotel

A former Hong Kong firefighter was sentenced to six years and three months in prison after being found guilty of raping a female friend in a hotel room while she was intoxicated.

High Court Judge William Tam Yiu-ho said on Friday that Chan Cheuk-hin, 28, had committed a serious offence that caused the victim to suffer from severe depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.

“Chan could have had a bright future, but he made a wrong move and ruined everything to satisfy his sexual desires,” the judge said.

Chan, who denied the charge, was earlier convicted by a jury by a majority of five to two of raping the woman on August 20, 2021. His colleague and fellow defendant, Lee Ho-tin, was cleared of the same charge.

The court heard that Chan met the victim, who was only identified as X, through Lee during a drinking session at Knutsford Terrace in Tsim Sha Tsui, and raped her when the trio met for a second time in a hotel room.

Before the trio met, X asked Lee if any other women would also be joining, but Lee persuaded her to come.