A Chinese professor from a prestigious Hong Kong university has been suspended after he was caught pretending to be a student at several elite Sydney schools.
Canadian citizen and Chinese University of Hong Kong academic Siu Hang Li, 46, was arrested last week when a teacher at Sydney Grammar School spotted him in uniform mingling with a crowd of schoolboys and called police.
Police then searched his room at the Meriton Suites on Kent St and found uniforms from three others schools he had visited – Saint Ignatius College Riverview, Sydney Boys High School, and Trinity Grammar – and photos 36 boys taken while visiting their campuses since arriving in Sydney in late February.
He pleaded guilty to one count of stalking or intimidation and two counts of trespassing at Sydney Local Court on Wednesday, and was given an 18-month conditional release order so he could take his flight back to Hong Kong on Friday, The Daily Telegraph reported.
According to court documents the Sydney Grammar teacher attempted to “extract” Li from the crowd of high school boys and broadcasted a message over the school radio channel, and when police arrived Li was found in full uniform with a school backpack at his feet.
He was caught in similar circumstances on school grounds in 2020, which also resulted in a police report.
Li admitted following the schoolboys but told police dressing in school uniform and taking photos was just his hobby, the court documents stated.
Magistrate Daniel Covington said Li’s “hobby” was “concerning”, and the professor’s lawyer James Chi conceded the offending was “unacceptable conduct” and “an issue that he has to take seriously”.
On Friday evening CUHK confirmed Li had been stood down while the university conducted an investigation.
“The university has suspended the duties of the faculty member concerned and will set up a committee to investigate the incident in accordance with relevant procedures,” a spokesperson said.
“Any breach of conduct will be handled seriously.”
Header image: Left, Li at Sydney Grammar (supplied). Right, during a lecture (CUHK).
