Pastor jailed for sex assault

2005-04-02 09:11

Hong Kong - A Hong Kong pastor has been jailed for beating and sexually assaulting a mentally retarded 23-year-old woman, a news report said on Saturday.

Lutheran Church pastor Cheung Wai-chung, 41, ordered the woman to go buy condoms so they could have sex in a church dormitory, then attacked her when she failed to do so, a court heard.

He sexually assaulted the woman and beat her with a leather belt in the attack in 2003 which led to him being stripped of his position as pastor, the South China Morning Post reported.

At a hearing on Friday, Cheung admitted charges of sexual assault and battery and was jailed for 21 months after magistrate Anthony Kwok said his actions had "destroyed the credibility of pastors".

Cheung's victim had an IQ of 47 and the mental ability of a seven-year-old, the court heard. She was so frightened after the attack she was unable to talk to family members about it, the court heard.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hong Kong said in a statement after Friday's case that it had dismissed Cheung and apologised to the victim and her family. - dpa

- SAPA