A court in Taoyuan’s Zhongli District has acquitted a school security guard who was accused of sexually assaulting an unconscious female teacher, ruling that the prosecution failed to provide sufficient evidence to support a conviction.
According to court documents, the incident allegedly took place around April 27, 2023, at a primary school. The teacher, referred to as Xiao Mei (pseudonym), was said to have collapsed due to stomach pain and fatigue. She later lost consciousness again near a lift lobby on the ground floor.
Prosecutors claimed that the security guard, known as A Wei (pseudonym), took advantage of her unconscious state and allegedly kissed and molested her while she was unable to resist. He was subsequently charged with indecent assault.
However, A Wei firmly denied the allegations in court, insisting that he was attempting to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) after noticing the teacher had a weak pulse. He stated that his actions were purely intended to save her life, including attempts at emergency breathing assistance.
After reviewing CCTV footage, the court found that A Wei immediately knelt beside the victim after being alerted, asked bystanders to call an ambulance, and sought help from school staff. The footage also showed him checking her condition, lifting her chin, and performing chest-related emergency actions, which the judge noted were broadly consistent with first-aid procedures, despite some deviations from standard CPR technique.
The judge further reasoned that if the accused had intended to commit wrongdoing, he would likely have moved the victim away from the visible CCTV area and avoided public exposure. Instead, the incident occurred in an open location where witnesses could easily return at any time.
With no additional corroborating evidence beyond the victim’s statement, the court concluded that the prosecution had not met the burden of proof. Under the principle of “presumption of innocence,” A Wei was therefore acquitted. The case remains subject to appeal.
