Grandmother jailed 20 days over apm fight and child assault
HK01 · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago4 MIN
Summary
A fight involving three women at the atrium of apm in Kwun Tong on August 26 ended with retiree Leung Lai-ha (梁麗霞) being sentenced to 20 days in jail for assaulting a young girl and fined HK$3,000 for fighting in a public place. The court heard the confrontation began after two children argued over basketballs at a children's game area, and that the girl was pushed and slapped to the ground during the incident. The magistrate said the child had not attacked Leung and could not fight back, making imprisonment unavoidable because of both physical and psychological harm.
Key Points
- The three defendants were Leung Lai-ha, 68, a retiree, Xu Yang, 34, unemployed and holding a two-way permit, and Ng Ka-yuen, 34, an insurance worker.
- All three were charged with fighting in a public place at apm, Millennium City 5, 418 Kwun Tong Road, at about 4.40pm on August 26.
- Leung, who is Ng's mother, also faced a common assault charge for attacking a girl surnamed Yeung at the same place and time.
- The case facts said Xu slapped Leung first, Leung struck back, and Ng rushed in before Xu and Ng exchanged blows by hand.
- During the melee, Leung pushed and slapped the girl once, causing her to fall, while medical evidence recorded redness on the child's right cheek.
Why It Matters
The ruling shows Hong Kong courts may distinguish between a mutual public fight and an assault on a child, even when both arise from the same confrontation. For local readers, the case is also a reminder that disputes involving children in crowded public venues can quickly escalate into criminal liability, custody restrictions and lasting personal consequences.