Photographer gets 21 years for sexually assaulting underage girls

Taipei, March 5 (CNA) A part-time photographer has been sentenced to 21 years in prison for filming and sexually assaulting underage girls under the pretense of free photo sessions since 2016, the Yunlin District Court said Thursday.

In a news release, the court said that the verdict against the man, surnamed Wu (吳), was handed down on Wednesday and can still be appealed.

Between 2016 and 2024, Wu met underage girls through social media, dating apps, and cosplay photography events, luring them with photo sessions before forcing them into sexual activity and recording explicit videos, the court said.

The victims numbered as many as 30, with several aged under 14 or between 14 and 16 at the time, the court said. It did not provide details on how Wu forced them into sexual acts.

According to Yunlin prosecutors, Wu's home was searched in November 2024 after an investigation into his alleged actions. A seized hard drive showed he had organized files by subject and date into 944 folders, 436 of which contained videos of Wu engaging in sexual intercourse or indecent acts with different underage girls, totaling 6,817 clips.

Wu was arrested and detained in May 2025. In November, he was indicted on charges including aggravated sexual assault, sexual activity or indecency with underage girls, secretly recording others' private parts, and child and youth sexual exploitation.

Using his position as a photographer to satisfy his own sexual desires over an extended period, Wu caused lasting psychological trauma to the victims and posed a serious threat to public safety and child protection, the court said in its news release.

During the trial, Wu admitted to the crimes in court and reached settlement agreements with several of the victims.

The court said the severity of Wu's crimes warranted a heavy sentence, adding that he was convicted of 56 offenses, including child and youth sexual exploitation, and sentenced to 21 years in prison.