Hong Kong protests: decoration worker jailed for ‘extremely vicious’ attack on man who tried to clear roadblock
- Leung Kai-lok given 40 months after pleading guilty to hitting man with iron bar during incident in Mong Kok in 2019
- Victim was removing banners and bamboo sticks from makeshift barricade on Nathan Road when attacked
The District Court heard Leung Kai-lok, 34, hit his victim, known as X in court, with an iron bar when the latter was removing bamboo sticks and banners from a section of Nathan Road in Mong Kok in the early hours of December 1.
The victim suffered a 4cm laceration to the scalp and scratches on his left arm when he fell down after the attack.
Leung claimed he had decided to go after the man under the mistaken belief X intended to attack protesters with the items used to build the barricade.
That explanation was rejected by Judge Ernest Michael Lin Kam-hung, who concluded after seeing a video clip of the incident that the accused assaulted the man in a bid to stop him from clearing the blockade, as well as threatening him and other ordinary citizens who opposed the demonstration.
Leung pleaded guilty on Tuesday to one count of wounding with intent, in exchange for the prosecution dropping two charges of rioting and using facial covering at an unlawful assembly.