Elderly woman jailed for slapping girl, 5, in mall dispute
A 68-year-old woman was sentenced to 20 days in prison and fined HK$3,000 for slapping a 5-year-old girl during a fight at APM mall in Kwun Tong. The dispute began when the girl argued with the woman's grandson over a basketball. The magistrate said anger should not be taken out on children.
A 68-year-old woman was sentenced to 20 days in prison on Thursday after slapping a 5-year-old girl during a fight at the APM shopping mall in Kwun Tong.
The case involved three defendants — Leung Lai-ha, 68, her daughter Ng Ka-wun, 34, and mainland tourist Xu Yang, 34. They were charged with fighting in a public place after a dispute over a basketball in the mall's atrium on 26 August. Leung also faced a common assault charge for allegedly hitting Xu's daughter, leaving the child's face red and swollen.
The incident began when Leung's grandson and Xu's daughter argued over a basketball. The three adults did not know one another. Leung pleaded guilty to both charges. She was sentenced to 20 days in jail and fined HK$3,000.
Acting Principal Magistrate Li Chi-ho said anger should not be taken out on children and that a prison sentence was unavoidable.
Ng and Xu, both mothers of the children involved, were each ordered to enter into a HK$1,000 recognizance to keep the peace for 12 months. The charge of fighting in a public place against each woman was withdrawn.
Xu had initially pleaded guilty to the fighting charge. But after hearing the facts of the case, she said she disagreed with some of them, claiming her daughter had not hit Leung's grandson. Xu acknowledged hitting Leung, saying she “had held back for a long time.” She then asked to be bound over to keep the peace, and the request was granted.
