43 months’ jail for vocal instructor who molested 7 male students

A Hong Kong court has sentenced a vocal instructor to 43 months in prison after convicting him of molesting seven male students over a five-year period, with the judge condemning him for a serious breach of trust.

Deputy District Judge Bernard Chung Wai-keung on Monday sentenced Drawson Lam Chun-yat for nine counts of indecent assault and two of common assault. The 39-year-old vocal coach was earlier found guilty of molesting seven victims, aged 15 to 29 at the time of the offences, in three classrooms in Cheung Sha Wan and Kwai Chung between 2018 and 2023.

The judge noted that Lam had denied committing the offences when interviewed by his probation officer, claiming he had been wrongly accused, which indicated a complete lack of remorse.

Lam’s defence counsel told the court that he had “blurred boundaries” in physical contact with males.

Chung cited impact assessment reports which showed that three of the seven victims had suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, with the youngest still recovering from the harrowing experience.

He said the seriousness of the offence was reflected in the breach of trust between the defendant and his victims.