‘Do not forget’

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This article was published 09/05/2017 (3101 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A high-ranking Winnipeg martial arts instructor who was described as “the Wayne Gretzky of taekwondo” faces up to 12 years in prison for sexually abusing three of his students over the past decade.

In a case that has been compared to that of convicted sex offender and ex-hockey coach Graham James, 58-year-old King Yeung broke down several times Tuesday as he apologized to his victims in front of the judge who will decide his fate.

“I’m very terribly sorry… I now have a good understanding that my behaviour and actions were devastating. I made horrible decisions without thinking of the consequences,” Yeung said.

“I feel both troubled and saddened to know that you all have endured emotional, physical and spiritual distress as well as a loss of trust of people in authority and trust in your own families. I am incredibly sorry to cause you shame,” he said, doubling over in tears.

‘Cult-like environment’

Two of Yeung’s victims have attempted suicide after the years of abuse they suffered while he was their instructor. He remained slumped in the prisoner’s box as one of them stood up to speak in court Tuesday.

He was a “father figure” to the now-24-year-old woman, a ward of Child and Family Services whom he took under his wing and then abused for the next eight years, starting when she was 15 years old. He didn’t meet her gaze Tuesday until she turned to him directly and uttered three words in a Chinese language: “Do not forget.”

“I will never forget what you have done to me,” she continued in English. “I cannot yet forgive you, but I want to. However, I am done with this consuming my life.”

The young woman said Yeung’s leadership at Kang’s academy had created a “cult-like environment” that prevented those who suspected the abuse from speaking out.

“To those people, I want to say I’m not mad. I’m not angry,” she said. “But please promise me you won’t let this happen again.”

Crown seeks 12 years, defence suggests 7

Crown prosecutor Katie Dojack asked provincial court Judge Dale Harvey to impose a 12-year sentence for five counts of sexual exploitation and sexual interference charges against the three girls, who were all underage when the abuse happened.

Defence lawyer Matt Gould suggested a seven-year sentence.

The judge has reserved his decision until a later date.

The three victims had all taken martial arts lessons at Kang’s Academy, where Yeung was a grandmaster — a high-ranking member of the taekwondo community — until his arrest.

The young women came forward last spring after one of them, the former ward of CFS, disclosed her past abuse to a therapist and then became concerned Yeung was still in a position where he could hurt more children.

The other two victims revealed the sexual assaults they suffered after they were contacted by police. Yeung admitted to having sexual intercourse with two of the victims and sexually touching all three of them even though he was more than 30 years their elder and they were too young to legally consent.

Abuse continued for years

In a pattern the Crown described as “grooming,” Yeung started off buying each of them gifts, affording them special privileges at the taekwondo academy and gaining their trust.

In each case, Yeung started sexually assaulting the girls as they succeeded in the sport, sometimes waiting until they were on overnight trips attending out-of-town tournaments.

 “I will never forget what you have done to me. I cannot yet forgive you, but I want to. However, I am done with this consuming my life.”-Victim

He would get jealous and angry if they talked to boys and attempted to cut off their family relationships, court heard. In one case, he began having sex with one of his students when she was 13.

The abuse continued multiple times a week for years, much of it happening before or after lessons at the academy, as well as on overnight trips at another instructor’s house outside Winnipeg. That instructor declined to be interviewed by police, court heard.

‘He taught me there is evil in the world’

In her victim impact statement, the now 28-year-old victim wrote Yeung “has taught me that there is evil in the world, and I’ve taught myself that I’m stronger than that evil.”

Crown prosecutor Dojack compared the case to that of James, who was convicted of sexual offences against junior hockey players in the 1990s.

“In the end, this was really all about power and control,” Dojack said, describing Yeung’s actions as predatory and manipulative. “The crimes were carefully choreographed over a number of years.”

Defence lawyer Gould agreed the offences are “extraordinarily serious” and said the affect the crimes have had on his client will never eclipse the “absolutely devastating” impact on the victims.

But, he said, the 12-year sentence the Crown is recommending is one “we routinely see for murderers.”

Yeung said in a pre-sentence report he is not sexually attracted to children.

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca   

Twitter: @thatkatiemay