CUHK associate professor cleared of indecent assault charges
On.cc · 2 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
Chinese University of Hong Kong art associate professor Pang Peng was acquitted at Sha Tin Magistrates’ Courts on Friday of two indecent assault charges linked to an outing with a woman identified as X in Ma On Shan on 21 May 2025. Magistrate Wong Kwok-fai said the evidence over an alleged touching while crossing the road was unclear, and that emails and WeChat exchanges between the pair suggested mutual affection, so he could not rule out the possibility that Pang mistakenly believed X consented to the later contact in a restaurant.
Key Points
- Pang Peng, an associate professor in CUHK’s Department of Fine Arts, denied two indecent assault charges alleging he twice molested woman X in Ma On Shan on 21 May 2025.
- The court heard Pang first contacted X by email in March 2025 after learning she had a talk at CUHK, and they later had lunch and walked on campus together.
- X later invited Pang to dine on 21 May and asked to add him on WeChat; that day they visited an art exhibition at CUHK before going to Ma On Shan for dinner.
- X alleged Pang loosely put a hand around her waist and buttocks while crossing the road, then touched her buttocks again while they were choosing seafood in a restaurant.
- The magistrate said X did not complain about the road-crossing incident when she first reported the case, and her courtroom demonstration differed from earlier descriptions.
- On the restaurant allegation, the court cited exchanges including Pang’s message that CUHK’s scenery was beautiful but the best view was talking with X, finding signs of mutual affection.
- Wong said that evidence left open a mistaken belief in consent on Pang’s part, and he found both charges not proven; one defence costs application was granted.
Why It Matters
The ruling turned heavily on how the court assessed the complainant’s consistency and the pair’s prior communications, rather than on any dispute that they had spent the day together. For Hong Kong readers, the case shows how digital messages and post-incident conduct can become central in criminal trials involving alleged indecent assault.