Conviction of child sexual abuse upheld for ex-kindergarten teacher
Pedophile Mao Chun-shen's 29-Year Sentence for Sexual Assault Remains Unchanged
In a shocking verdict that punishes one of the worst pedophiles in Taiwan, the Supreme Court yesterday rejected the appeal of Mao Chun-shen, a despicable former kindergarten teacher, who was found guilty of sexually abusing six child victims. The court upheld the initial sentence of 28 years and 8 months in prison.
Mao, the son of the owner of the infamous Taipei Piramide School, was charged with 224 counts of sexual assault, including indecent assault, penetration, and filming obscene images of minors. Among his victims were six young girls.
Though he initially denied these heinous acts in the first trial, Mao admitted to touching the girls during the second trial at the High Court. However, he continued to argue that he had not sexually assaulted them. The court found evidence to the contrary, resulting in 225 convictions, an additional conviction due to the discovery of an additional victim, and a longer sentence: 28 years and 8 months.
Despite appealing the verdict, Mao's appeal was denied yesterday, solidifying his 29-year prison sentence.
However, this may not be the end of Mao's legal woes. A separate trial is currently underway at Taipei District Court, following further evidence uncovered in November, which could potentially increase the number of victims to 45 after 39 additional victims were identified. Additionally, evidence was found suggesting that Mao had secretly recorded indecent images of minors in public places, such as restaurants, more than 300 times. These additional charges could potentially raise his sentence to the statutory maximum of 30 years, making his sentence the longest ever handed down in a sexual assault case in Taiwan.
In October 2023, Taipei prosecutors added charges of forced sexual intercourse and forced obscenity under the Criminal Code, requesting a heavy sentence due to the severity of Mao's crimes. Mao remains in custody awaiting trial.
This case underscores Taiwan's strict sentencing practices for serial child sexual abuse. Although constitutional limits prevent indefinite sentencing, Mao's 29-year sentence, while not the longest possible, still represents one of the harshest penalties ever imposed for these kind of crimes in Taiwan.
- In a significant judicial move, the Supreme Court of Taiwan rejected the appeal of Mao Chun-shen, a former kindergarten teacher, who was initially sentenced to 29 years for sexual assault of minors.
- Mao, the son of the owner of the notorious Taipei Piramide School, is currently facing an additional trial for allegedly sexually assaulting 39 more minors, which could potentially raise the number of his victims to 45.
- The general news, health-and-wellness, and sexual-health sectors have been actively discussing the Mao Chun-shen case, highlighting the importance of addressing child sexual abuse and looking out for the welfare of minors.
- Interestingly, Mao's crimes also extended to secretly recording indecent images of minors in public places, such as restaurants, further complicating his legal troubles.
- The crime-and-justice department is closely monitoring the Mao Chun-shen case, as it sets a significant precedent for Taiwan's judicial system when dealing with serial child sexual abusers.
