A convicted paedophile has been jailed for 4½ years for committing obscene acts against a seven-year-old boy while working as a private tutor in Hong Kong more than two years ago.

Ng Tin-yu, 24, was sentenced on Wednesday for repeatedly molesting the boy at the latter’s home in Kowloon City until a camera in the child’s bedroom captured one of the incidents, leading to the defendant’s arrest.

He pleaded guilty earlier this month to nine counts of committing an act of gross indecency towards a child under 16 at Tsuen Wan Court, which now handles District Court cases.

Prosecutors agreed not to pursue four other indecency charges following a plea bargain.

Ng, who was convicted of indecency towards a minor three times as a teenager, committed the more recent offences before a conviction record check scheme was expanded in December 2024 to allow parents to check whether any self-employed tutors had a history of sex offences.

A prosecution case summary said the boy’s parents were out working whenever Ng went to the boy’s residence to help with his homework. The family’s domestic helper, who was also at home at the time, had been unaware of the incidents.