Taekwondo coach receives 29 years for sexually abusing 11 students

New Taipei, Feb. 16 (CNA) A taekwondo coach found guilty of sexually abusing 11 young female students was recently handed a combined sentence of 29 years and six months in prison by New Taipei District Court.

According to a recently published court document, the coach identified by his last name Lu (呂) was convicted on Jan. 30 for multiple violations of the Child and Youth Sexual Exploitation Prevention Act and the Criminal Code.

The 11 victims were at the time all elementary and junior high school students who attended a training school in New Taipei to learn taekwondo where Lu taught, the court document said.

During training, Lu would seize the opportunity to engage in lewd behavior and sexually abuse female students, including taking indecent images and having forced sexual intercourse with two of them.

His abuse totaled 109 incidents from 2019 to 2022, the document added.

The victims' parents later filed a complaint against Lu, prompting New Taipei prosecutors to investigate the case. In August 2022, based on evidence collected, Lu was indicted for crimes including sexual exploitation of children and aggravated forced sexual intercourse with persons under the age of 14.

He resigned from teaching at the school on Oct. 15, 2022.

According to the court document, the taekwondo coach repeatedly denied his crimes and claimed he was framed by the school due to a dispute with its management. Only after the evidence was presented to him did he admit to taking the indecent photos, but showed little remorse and even tried to make up excuses to rationalize his actions.

Lu was tried for crimes against each of the 11 students in the case, resulting in a combined jail term of 29 years and six months. However, the verdict handed down in January can still be appealed.