Lui Kwan-ying, 66, avoided jail time at a court on Wednesday after expressing remorse for his actions, the South China Morning Post reported.

He pleaded guilty to the charge of “indecent assault” during a ride on May 30.

While driving her to a hotel in Hung Hom residential area in the southeast of Kowloon Peninsula, Lui asked the tourist to sit next to the driver’s seat. He then touched her thighs and suggested she came to his residence.

The victim managed to take a photo of his taxi license and reported the incident to hotel staff, who contacted the police, Malaysia’s The Sun reported.

According to the court, the driver took advantage of the woman’s state of being drunk after spending her night at Knutsford Terrace, a popular pedestrian strip lined with restaurants and bars.

The case comes amidst a crackdown on taxi services in Hong Kong following an increase in tourist complaints.

Last year, the Transport Department received 1,006 serious complaints against taxi drivers, almost double the number in 2022.

Over a third of these complaints involved drivers refusing to accept passengers, while another third pertained to overcharging.