Woman convicted of assaulting Hong Kong policeman with breast wins appeal against jail term
A Hong Kong woman convicted of using her breast to assault a policeman at a protest against mainland parallel traders last year failed to clear her name on Monday, but may be able to avoid going to jail.
Ng Lai-ying, 30, guilty of assaulting Chief Inspector Chan Ka-po, successfully appealed her three months and 15 days jail sentence. Her appeal against the conviction failed.
The court will look into her suitability for community service, but she could still go to prison when sentenced on September 26.
Her co-convicted also failed to clear their names, but successfully appealed their custodial sentences, and will be sentenced on the same day.
Her boyfriend Kwong Chun-lung, 20, guilty of obstructing an officer during the protest in Yuen Long on March 1 last year, is now facing a probation officer’s report, instead of the original sentence of being sent to a training centre.
During the trial, Chan accused Ng of assaulting him by bumping him with her chest, in a case which made international headlines as protesters took to the streets to express their bewilderment as to how a woman could use her breast as a weapon.
Anger at parallel traders ran high last year in districts near the city’s border with the mainland as the sellers used multi-entry visas for Hong Kong to take goods, such as baby milk formula, across the border to sell at a profit.
The trade caused crowding and shortages of the goods in those areas, sparking the wave of protests.
University student Poon Tsz-hang, 22, was originally given five months and one week in jail for obstructing a police officer, but a community service report has been ordered for him too.
And a 14-year-old boy, also convicted of assaulting Chan, was earlier sentenced to a stint at a rehabilitation centre, but will now be assessed by a probation officer, as Kwong.
Mrs Justice Judianna Barnes granted them all bail.
A Hong Kong woman convicted of using her breast to assault a policeman at a protest against mainland parallel traders last year failed to clear her name on Monday, but may be able to avoid going to jail.
Ng Lai-ying, 30, guilty of assaulting Chief Inspector Chan Ka-po, successfully appealed her three months and 15 days jail sentence. Her appeal against the conviction failed.
The court will look into her suitability for community service, but she could still go to prison when sentenced on September 26.
Her co-convicted also failed to clear their names, but successfully appealed their custodial sentences, and will be sentenced on the same day.
Her boyfriend Kwong Chun-lung, 20, guilty of obstructing an officer during the protest in Yuen Long on March 1 last year, is now facing a probation officer’s report, instead of the original sentence of being sent to a training centre.
During the trial, Chan accused Ng of assaulting him by bumping him with her chest, in a case which made international headlines as protesters took to the streets to express their bewilderment as to how a woman could use her breast as a weapon.
Anger at parallel traders ran high last year in districts near the city’s border with the mainland as the sellers used multi-entry visas for Hong Kong to take goods, such as baby milk formula, across the border to sell at a profit.
The trade caused crowding and shortages of the goods in those areas, sparking the wave of protests.
University student Poon Tsz-hang, 22, was originally given five months and one week in jail for obstructing a police officer, but a community service report has been ordered for him too.
And a 14-year-old boy, also convicted of assaulting Chan, was earlier sentenced to a stint at a rehabilitation centre, but will now be assessed by a probation officer, as Kwong.
Mrs Justice Judianna Barnes granted them all bail.
