SEATON MAN TERENCE LAI JAILED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT ON 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL AFTER PUBLIC SPEECHES

In May 2017, a disturbing case emerged involving Terence Lai, a man from Seaton, who was convicted of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl following a motivational speech he delivered in a public setting. Lai, a married father of two, gained notoriety after appearing on the Channel 4 documentary series Child Genius in 2013, alongside his ten-year-old son. The exposure from the show led him to leave his job at a call center to pursue a career in public speaking, offering advice on topics such as effective communication and even promoting his self-published e-book, 'Secrets of a Child Genius.'

On the day of the incident, Lai met the young girl during one of his public appearances. After engaging her with a motivational talk, he took her to a scenic spot, where he attempted to persuade her that hard work could lead to a prosperous life, including owning a large house. He also implied that failure to work hard might result in homelessness. During this interaction, Lai pointed at the surrounding scenery and made these remarks, seemingly trying to inspire her.

However, the situation took a sinister turn when Lai asked the girl for a kiss and called her “beautiful.” He then proceeded to put his tongue in her mouth, an act that was both inappropriate and alarming. The assault escalated when Lai placed his hand under her shirt, groping her breasts and kissing her in a sexual manner. This sickening attack occurred on July 30, and the girl was left traumatized by the experience.

Following the incident, Lai denied the sexual assault charges but was brought to trial at Exeter Crown Court. During the proceedings, the victim was compelled to give evidence about the assault. Lai, who appeared in court under his birth name Yuen, claimed that he only kissed the girl on the lips and insisted that his actions were not sexually motivated. He also denied fondling her breasts. Despite his denials, the jury found him guilty of the charges.

In the aftermath of the assault, Lai bombarded the girl with emails over the next 24 hours, in which he appeared to apologize for “breaking boundaries” and spoke about forgiveness. He also posted a tweet stating, “Every 1 made mistakes? Some made serious mistakes at some point? I made a few unintentionally. How to avoid making them again… make amends? Learn from mistake, Offer sincerely + unreserved Apology, Promise not to do the same mistake +Back to Normal?”

Judge Geoffrey Mercer, QC, sentenced Lai to three years in prison, condemning his actions as driven by infatuation. The judge stated, “You did what you did because you were infatuated by her. It was very wrong. In the aftermath, you were asking for forgiveness. I am sure that is the proper interpretation of what you were writing.”

Additionally, Lai was handed a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which restricts his future contact with girls, and he was ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for life. These measures aim to prevent any further harm and ensure public safety, especially considering Lai’s history and the nature of his offenses.