Serial sex offender arrested after targeting drunk young men

SYDNEY: A Sydney waiter charged with the rape of four young men dating back to 2009 has previous convictions “for offences of a sexual nature” it can be revealed.

58-year-old Darling Harbour Novotel hotel worker, Hoe Fatt Lee, was arrested and charged with sexual intercourse without consent last Thursday by detectives attached to City Central Local Area Command in connection to the sexual assault of an 18-year-old man who had passed out at Central Station in the early hours of Tuesday, January 8 after a night out drinking with friends.

The man awoke to find Lee allegedly performing oral sex on him.

Police with the State Crime Command’s Sex Crime Squad quickly formed Strike Force Merinda following previous reports of at least three similar attacks over the past four years in the city centre and outer suburbs.

At a hearing last Friday at Central Local Court where strict conditional bail was given to Lee, Magistrate Les Mabbutt stated that the accused had previously been found guilty and convicted “for offences of a sexual nature”.

Following further inquiries, Lee was today arrested at his Beverly Hills home in Sydney’s south and charged with a further three counts of sexual intercourse without consent after police linked last month’s incident to three other alleged sexual assaults involving a 21-year-old man near Liverpool in April 2009, a 23-year-old Swedish national at Broadway in December 2010 and an 18-year-old British national in the CBD in June 2011.

Lee, who is married with a son, is alleged to have targeted young men who were heavily intoxicated.

Police used forensic evidence collected at the scenes to link Lee to the alleged crimes and are continuing their investigations.

Lee faced Sutherland Local Court earlier today, where his lawyer, Ralph Doughty, told Magistrate Jacqueline Trad and the court that his client would argue the incidents were consensual.

“My client is a family man,” Doughty said. “His son is in shock ... and his wife is totally dependent on him.”

Lee has been remanded in custody until his next court appearance at Central Local Court on April 9.

Anyone with information that may assist Strike Force Merinda investigators should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.