Man arrested for alleged hotel assault

A 34-year-old man from mainland China has been arrested for allegedly detaining and sexually assaulting a woman in a hotel room, the Judiciary Police (PJ) reported yesterday in a media briefing.

The victim reportedly suffered head injuries after being struck with an ashtray and was choked with a charging cable while attempting to seek help.

The Public Security Police and firefighters arrived shortly after, rescuing the woman and apprehending the suspect. The case has been handed over to the PJ for further investigation.

Authorities said the victim, a middle-aged woman from mainland China, met the suspect in her home region in 2024. In the early hours of Saturday, Oct. 25, the two encountered each other at a restaurant in ZAPE.

The suspect allegedly threatened to reveal their prior sexual relationship to her husband and family and coerced her into a hotel room, where she was reportedly held for about an hour. She later alerted her sister, resulting to police intervention.

The PJ noted that the suspect has refused to cooperate, but evidence and the victim’s medical examination indicate strong signs of criminal conduct.

‘Public security’ scam

The PJ also reported that three individuals recently fell victim to a scam impersonating law enforcement, with losses ranging from HKD189,000 to HKD20,000.

The local pair, a man and a woman, received phone calls from individuals claiming to be Wuhan Public Security officials.

They were accused of participating in fraudulent activities and asked to share their phone screens during a supposed investigation, exposing their banking credentials. They later discovered funds had been transferred from their accounts, reporting losses of HKD195,000 and HKD220,000 respectively.

In a separate case, a middle-aged woman from mainland China was contacted by someone claiming to be from the Shanghai Public Security Bureau.

She was accused of committing a serious crime and instructed to pay HKD300,000 in bail. Unable to cover the amount, she took loans totaling RMB160,000 and deposited HKD69,000 and HKD120,000 at Hong Kong ATMs. The woman realized she had been scammed after seeing anti-fraud publicity on a bus and reported a loss of HKD189,000.

The PJ urges residents to remain vigilant, avoid sharing personal or banking information over the phone, and report suspicious calls immediately. lv