Chinese University associate professor Peng Peng was acquitted of two indecent assault charges at Sha Tin Magistrates’ Court on 24 August 2026. The charges concerned alleged touching of woman X in Ma On Shan on 21 May 2025.
The prosecution alleged that Peng touched or partly embraced X around the waist while the pair were crossing a road, and later touched her waist and buttocks at a restaurant. X reported the matter to police after the meal. Peng denied both charges.
Magistrate Wong Kwok-fai found that the pair had known each other before the incident, exchanged emails and messages, and spent time walking and talking at Chinese University. Those interactions may have led Peng to mistakenly believe that X had agreed to the touching. The finding did not establish that X had consented.
Ming Pao reported that the court also considered restaurant CCTV footage, which showed no obvious reaction from X when she was touched. She briefly left, then returned to continue speaking with Peng and help him remove crab meat. The magistrate also said it was difficult to establish that Peng had intentionally committed indecent assault while crossing the road because both people were moving.
The defence was allowed to apply for costs in relation to the first charge, but its application concerning the second charge was refused. The magistrate said the restaurant CCTV recorded Peng’s conduct and considered this potentially self-incriminating. The reports do not provide the full written judgment or the case number.