A woman has filed a complaint against the police alleging that she was raped in the Tsuen Wan Police Station, the force confirmed on Saturday.

“The Complaints Against Police Office received a complaint on October 22 from a legal representative, saying that his client was raped in the Tsuen Wan Police Station on September 27. Due to the seriousness of the allegation, the case has been referred to the New Territories South Regional Crime Unit,” police said in a statement shared with HKFP.

Tsuen Wan Police Station. Photo: Google Maps screenshot.

The police said the accusation was inconsistent with an initial probe: “Up till now, the allegations of the complainant do not match investigation results, and police will continue to investigate the relevant claims,” the statement added.

Asked about the case on Saturday, the Hospital Authority said that it would not comment on “rumours.” It said that patient privacy had to be protected, and that questions about cases with a criminal element should be directed towards the police.

It also urged the public not to hold gatherings on hospital premises so as to avoid affecting healthcare services.

While details about the alleged rape are limited, Apple Daily – citing three anonymous sources – reported that an 18-year-old woman received an abortion at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital on Thursday.

Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Jordan. File photo: Tom Grundy/HKFP.

According to Apple Daily, the woman was stopped when she was walking past the police station in mid-September, despite not wearing black and not protesting at the time. The woman was allegedly taken inside the station and gang-raped by four masked men, the sources said.

The newspaper said the woman displayed symptoms of depression after the incident and was initially hesitant to file a complaint to the police. She discovered she was pregnant after a hospital visit for unrelated reasons in mid-October, and told medical staff about her experience while accompanied by her mother.

The unverified rape allegation also surfaced online, sparking outrage on Facebook and the Reddit-like forum LIHKG. The Facebook page “HA Secrets” – which shares anonymous posts related to the Hospital Authority – said that more than one of its administrators confirmed that the incident took place.

File photo: Holmes Chan/HKFP.

It said in a post that the woman was impregnated after being arrested at Tsuen Wan Police Station. It added that fetal DNA had been gathered as evidence to identify the perpetrator.

However, HA Secrets put the age of the victim at 16 instead of 18.

The page said that legal procedures were underway and lawyers had gotten involved. It also called on readers to give the woman and her family some space.

“The more is revealed about this case, the more excuses the court has to say the trial is unfair. When everything is in place, HA Secrets will go on the offensive. Expect us,” the post read.

San Uk Ling Holding Centre. Photo: Apple Daily.

On October 26 – four days after the police complaints office was notified of the incident – a police spokesperson said that it “had not received any complaints of sexual assault” at the San Uk Ling Holding Centre, a separate facility which has come under fire as notorious for inmate abuse.

At the time, police did not say whether they had received any complaints of sexual crimes in relation to Tsuen Wan Police Station or other police facilities.