Migration agent pleads guilty to drugging, raping women
A man accused of drugging, raping and filming a number of women, including an ex-partner, has pleaded guilty to the heinous acts.
Migration agent Frank Hu, 39, faced the County Court of Victoria on Tuesday charged with the offences spanning from March 2016 to January 2020.
He pleaded guilty to eight charges of rape, which included numerous attacks on the same victim and others, and other charges including sexual assault and intentionally and recklessly causing injury.
His offending was unearthed when his mobile phone was intercepted by Australian Border Force officers when he returned to Australia in June 2018.
Officers then found numerous videos and images of women being sexually assaulted while they were unconscious, but police were unable to identify the victims.
It wasn't until November 2018 that one of Hu's victims came forward saying she believed she had been sexually assaulted.
He is also accused of drugging another woman who had a cardiac arrest, placing her in danger of death in July 2019.
Prosecutors say Hu would drug the women, who were in Australia on working visas, by luring them to his Collins Street offices for a job, offering them a drink and preparing a cocktail of drugs to render them unconscious.
Those drugs included barbiturates, benzodiazepines, sleeping pills and opioids.
On more than four occasions Hu called an ambulance for the women and provided reasons for their conditions, including saying one woman was drugged by a stranger while travelling on public transport.
He would also photograph or video his exploits and uploaded some of that material to an Asian language website.
Most charges relate to acts against a former partner, who was in a secret affair with the married Hu.
She was unaware of the abuse until police showed her some of the 1369 images and 195 videos of her found on Hu's phone.
The woman was seemingly unconscious in all photos and videos, and said she did not consent to the sexual acts portrayed in the imagery.
In her victim impact statement, read to the court on Tuesday, she said the abuse rendered it difficult to maintain meaningful relationships with family, friends and co-workers.
"I haven't felt safe ... I do not trust anyone," she said.
Hu's defence lawyer said his client had shown remorse and insight since he was charged.
His lawyer also added that Hu suffered a rare sexual paraphilia condition that meant he enjoyed having sex with a sleeping person.
Hu, who appeared via video link and had a Mandarin interpreter, only spoke during the hearing to confirm he could hear the proceedings.
Judge Trevor Wraight adjourned the matter for sentencing, likely after Easter.
Hu, who holds a Chinese passport and is an Australian citizen, was remanded in custody until then.
He has already spent three years, six months and 27 days in custody.
