The next morning, Ng went into the room to check her blood pressure and temperature. He later listened to her lungs with a stethoscope by placing it under her robe. The complainant said she felt Ng's arm pressing on her breasts, and Ng also told her that her lungs were 'scratched'.

The patient later spoke to a nurse about medical procedures and found it was a doctor's job, not a nurse's job, to conduct such an examination.

Deputy Magistrate Ko Wai-hung said the 20 or so mitigation letters submitted to the court by Ng's colleagues, supervisor and teachers from university suggested he was a hardworking person, but the case was serious because the incident happened in an isolation room.

'It is the nurses' job to help others. Patients who are in hospital need to be protected, but [Ng] has scared the complainant,' Ko said. It was unnecessary to check the patient's lungs and Ng's act was disrespectful.

Ng had admitted to a probation officer that he indecently assaulted the patient and was remorseful, but he decided to plead not guilty in the first place because he wanted to protect the reputation of the hospital and nurses.

However, the magistrate said it was too late to regret his actions. 'By asking the complainant to testify in court ... the pain she suffered is no less than yours,' he said.

A Hospital Authority spokesman said Ng had been suspended by the hospital but the authority would not comment on the case because he could appeal against the decision.

The authority has guidelines that require more than one staff member to be present when certain procedures are carried out.