A 68-year-old woman in Hong Kong has been sentenced to 20 days in prison after admitting to slapping a five-year-old girl following an argument between the child and her grandson at a shopping mall playground.
The woman, identified as Leung Lai-ha, pleaded guilty to common assault at Kwun Tong Court on 5 November 2026. She told the court that she had acted on impulse after becoming angry over the dispute between the two children.
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), Leung was also fined HK$2,000 (approximately S$326) for the offence.
The incident took place on 26 August at APM shopping mall in Kwun Tong, where a sports-themed playground had been set up in the atrium.
Dispute Between Two Children Escalated Into Physical Confrontation
Leung had visited the shopping mall with her 34-year-old daughter, Ng Ka-wun, and her grandson. Separately, a 34-year-old woman identified as Xu Yang had brought her five-year-old daughter to the same play area.
The disagreement reportedly started when the two children quarrelled over a basketball installation at the playground.
However, what began as an argument between young children eventually escalated into a physical confrontation involving the adults.
Footage of the incident circulated on social media, showing Leung pushing the five-year-old girl before slapping her across the face. The child subsequently fell to the ground.
A man who witnessed the incident intervened and confronted Leung, shouting in Cantonese: “Did you just hit a child? I saw you.”
Girl’s Mother And Other Adults Also Involved In Altercation
Following the incident, Xu confronted Leung and her daughter, Ng. The situation escalated further, resulting in a physical scuffle involving all three adults.
According to reports by SCMP and The Standard, another video appeared to show Xu slapping Leung across the face during the heated confrontation, before Leung assaulted the child.
Ng was also seen confronting Xu while holding an umbrella and telling her that she could not leave.
Police investigations subsequently led to all three women being jointly charged with fighting in a public place.
Grandmother Said She Wanted To Teach The Girl A Lesson
During police investigations, Leung admitted that she had pushed and slapped the five-year-old girl because she believed the child was bullying her grandson.
She reportedly told officers: “The girl was bullying my grandson, so I pushed her and slapped her to teach her a lesson.”
Leung faced an additional charge of common assault, to which she pleaded guilty.
SCMP reported that Ng and Xu each claimed the other party had initiated the confrontation. Both maintained that their actions were taken in self-defence.
The incident also attracted attention because Ng was reportedly employed by insurance company AIA. Following the altercation, the company suspended her.
In a statement issued on 27 August, an AIA spokesperson said the company expected its advisers to maintain strict professional conduct standards and did not condone violence in any form.
Court Hands Down Jail Sentence And Fines
Medical examinations following the incident found that the five-year-old girl had suffered a swollen cheek. Xu and Ng also sustained minor facial injuries, while Leung had scratches on her arm.
Acting Principal Magistrate Li Chi-ho said during sentencing that Leung should not have taken her anger out on a young child.
She was sentenced to 20 days’ imprisonment and fined HK$2,000 (approximately S$326).
Meanwhile, Ng and Xu were each ordered to enter into a one-year bond to keep the peace. They will each have to forfeit HK$1,000 (approximately S$163) if they breach the conditions by committing another offence during that period.
The case has drawn attention to how a disagreement between young children can escalate into a serious confrontation when adults become involved.
While parents and guardians may naturally feel protective when their children are involved in disputes, the incident serves as a reminder that physical confrontation is not an appropriate way to resolve disagreements, particularly when young children are involved.