Hong Kong policeman cleared of molesting colleague but convicted on 2 other counts

A Hong Kong court has cleared a senior police officer of molesting an inspector but convicted him over drink-driving and biting a junior colleague who tried to stop him.

The District Court on Tuesday found Superintendent Joseph Luk Chun-chung guilty of dangerous driving, saying he was clearly under the influence of alcohol when he insisted on driving home after a banquet to bid farewell to a chief inspector in Fanling on July 15, 2022.

The court also convicted the 45-year-old defendant of assault for biting an inspector’s right middle finger, after finding he was under the genuine but misguided belief that he was acting in self-defence as the latter tried to pull him out of his car.

Luk was cleared of five other charges: three counts of indecent assault against a probationary inspector the previous month, and two assault-related offences for allegedly attacking two other officers during the July episode.

Deputy Judge Katherine Lo Kit-yee warned the disgraced officer to expect jail time for his transgressions, but agreed to extend his bail until sentencing as she saw no urgent need to incarcerate him at this point.

Luk has been suspended from his role as Sha Tau Kok district commander following his arrest in August 2022 on suspicion of a raft of offences committed at two dinners with fellow officers.