A Hong Kong computer technician appeared in court Friday denying charges of stealing the sexy photographs from the computer of pop star Edison Chen which were posted and circulated on the internet.

Sze Ho-chun, 23, entered a not guilty plea to charges of dishonest use of a computer. It is alleged Sze copied the images showing Chen and several young starlets semi-naked or in sexually provocative poses from Chen’s computer while it was being repaired.

The images later appeared on the internet where they view by millions of people, sparking one of the biggest scandals in Hong Kong entertainment history and fuelling a debate on internet freedom. A second man, clerk Kwok Chun-wai, 24, has already appeared in court accused of posting internet hyperlinks directing people to a website from which they could download the photos.

Actor and pop star Chen, 27, last month apologized to the women involved, who included Twins singer Gillian Chung and other so-called Canto-pop starlets, and announced he was giving up his show business career. Magistrates in court on Friday, agreed to extend Sze’s bail until a pre-trial review next month.