Man admits role in assault on teen with disabilities, planned attack with 14-year-old girlfriend
His girlfriend repeatedly kicked and punched the teen.
A 14-year-old girl, upset after discovering her 20-year-old boyfriend chatting with and borrowing money from a 17-year-old girl with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), took matters into her own hands - quite literally.
With the man's help, she confronted the teen and launched three separate attacks on her over the course of one evening, kicking and punching the victim repeatedly.
The man now faces three charges of voluntarily causing hurt and one count of providing false information to the authorities.
He pleaded guilty to two of the four charges in court on July 15, with the remaining charges taken into consideration for sentencing.
A gag order prohibits the publication of any details that may identify the victim, the girlfriend, or the accused, due to the involvement of minors.
According to court documents reported by Lianhe Zaobao, the victim - a 17-year-old girl diagnosed with ADHD and an intellectual disability - began chatting with the accused on Instagram on April 6, 2025.
The following day, the man claimed his father-in-law had been hospitalised and borrowed $360 from her.
The girl agreed to lend him the money and met him downstairs at his housing block. When his girlfriend found out about the exchange, she became upset and angry.
Describing the victim as "clingy", the man allegedly told his girlfriend that he wanted to "teach her a lesson". The pair then conspired to lure the victim out again, this time, with the intention of assaulting her.
On April 14, the man contacted the victim once more, asking to borrow $30. After collecting the money from her, he quickly left the scene.
His girlfriend then appeared, confronted the teen at the block's ground floor and accused her of causing the couple to break up. She then began physically assaulting the victim, punching and kicking her in three separate incidents that night.
The victim sought medical attention three weeks after the incident. Although visible bruises had faded, doctors observed redness on her scalp.
The victim also reported experiencing headaches, leg pain, memory issues, and difficulty sleeping.
The judge has ordered a suitability assessment for the accused to undergo a youth rehabilitation programme. Sentencing has been adjourned.