Former Hong Kong prison guard jailed for 3 years over attack on inmate

A former Hong Kong corrections officer, Tam Lik-chung, has been sentenced to three years in prison for inflicting severe injuries on an inmate by repeatedly inserting a stick into his rectum during an assault in December 2023. The District Court Judge Frankie Yiu ruled that Tam had ordered other inmates to participate in the attack, for which he was also charged with perverting the course of justice.

Tam pleaded guilty to both charges in April. Two inmates who aided Tam in carrying out the assault, Bosco Lee and Brian Lam, faced charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, with Lee pleading guilty and Lam found guilty during a subsequent trial. Another inmate, Ho Lik-wun, admitted to the wounding charge, while another case was dismissed.

A second prison guard was acquitted of misconduct in public office. Judge Yiu noted that Tam's actions were a severe abuse of authority, but the judge considered mitigating factors, such as Tam's guilty plea and the loss of his job, leading to the three-year sentence. The other defendants received lesser sentences, with Ho getting four months and Lee and Lam six months.

The victim had previously expressed forgiveness towards Lam, who was found guilty of handing Tam the stick and assisting him after the attack. The assault occurred in an activity room at the Pik Uk prison when the victim, who was serving a 14-year drug trafficking sentence, threw baby powder on Tam, leading to the subsequent assault.