A Hong Kong retiree has received 40 hours of community service for slapping a five-year-old boy who threw a tantrum and berated his domestic helper at a shopping centre earlier this year.
Lok Kam-ming, 61, returned to Tuen Mun Court on Friday to be sentenced for what his lawyer described as an incident arising from the “unfortunate encounter” between him and a child whom he first met at Grand Yoho in Yuen Long on January 8.
Lok, who pleaded guilty last month to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, lost his temper and yelled at the boy inside a lift after hearing the latter berating his helper at around noon that day.
The boy threw a toy at the defendant, who slapped the victim in return. The boy sustained bruises to his left cheek.
Lok initially denied committing the offence, but said in a subsequent police interview that he was sorry.
Lok’s lawyer said in mitigation that the defendant was deeply remorseful for being unable to control his emotions.
