A local athlete who accused her track and field coach of sexual assault when giving her a massage at his home when she was a young teenager testified at Fanling Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
The 23-year-old woman, identified as X, testified behind a screen so people attending the hearing were not able to see her, was 13 when the alleged crime occurred, Sing Tao Daily reported.
The defendant, a 77-year-old man identified as W.H., has denied one count of indecent assault.
The court heard that the victim went to the defendant’s home as he suggested giving her a leg massage.
They met up at a sports ground in Ho Man Tin in Kowloon and the defendant drove her to his home in Tai Po, in the New Territories.
The victim said she was wearing jeans and was told it was difficult to massage her thighs so she agreed to take off her jeans as the defendant suggested, and she did not think that was a problem or that he would do anything to her.
But the defendant pulled down her underpants and touched her private parts for about a minute, X told the court.
X said she did not move as she was scared. She put her jeans back on and was led downstairs to play with a neighbor’s dogs before leaving the apartment, with the defendant.
X said she only decided to tell her friends, boyfriend and family members about the incident in 2015.
The case got public attention when X made a post on Facebook after US gymnast and Olympic gold medalist McKayla Maroney went public with an allegation that she was molested by a former US gymnastics team doctor.
X explained that she had been inspired by the revelation and wanted to let the public know how “some people” abused their authority and victims’ trust to commit crimes”.
Her testimony continues on Thursday.