Sergeant Spared Jail After Assaulting Female Officer

A police sergeant was given 160 hours of community service on Tuesday for assaulting a female colleague during a row over alcohol at a meal to mark the victim leaving the force.

Leung Kwok-wing, 40, pleaded guilty to common assault after grabbing police constable So Ling-nga, 31, by the hair at a restaurant in Yuen Long on April 19.

The pair were among a group of 10 officers who gathered for the dinner – flouting the four-person pandemic gathering limit in force at the time.

Tuen Mun Magistrates' Court heard how Leung became angry when So mocked him for not wanting to drink any more alcohol.

He pulled her hair during the dispute, causing her pain and leaving her scalp swollen.

Police said at the time that So went to hospital for treatment after the assault. They added that they had sent officers to the scene of the incident, but by the time they arrived their colleagues had already left.

Leung blamed his behaviour on "family issues" and "pressure". The force earlier said that he had been suspended from duty.