Hong Kong mother bites police officer after son kicks her and attacks bystander at Changi Airport
A mother-and-son duo from Hong Kong has been jailed after the son kicked his mother and pummeled a bystander, while the mother bit a police officer trying to arrest her at Changi Airport.
The mother, 65-year-old Chan Sui Kwan, was sentenced to six months’ jail on Aug 3 after being found guilty of voluntarily causing hurt to a public servant.
Her son, Chan Wing Kwan, 42, was sentenced to 10 days’ jail after being convicted of disturbing peace by fighting in a public place.
Son becomes agitated after allegedly being mocked
The incident occurred at about 1.05pm on June 30, 2024, at Changi Airport Terminal 3.
According to Shin Min Daily News, Wing Kwan became agitated after thinking someone was laughing at him. For reasons that were not disclosed in court, he suddenly kicked his mother.
A 69-year-old bystander approached to check on the woman, but she requested that he leave. Wing Kwan then confronted the man, repeatedly asking: “Do you want to fight?”
The two were eventually separated.
A while later, they encountered each other on the basement level of the terminal, where Wing Kwan kicked his mother again.
When the bystander threatened to call the police, Wing Kwan replied: “Go ahead.”
Pummels bystander on the head
When the man took out his phone to make the call, Wing Kwan immediately charged towards him, but was caught in a clinch as the man attempted to restrain him.
Both men fell to the ground, and Wing Kwan repeatedly punched the victim on the back of his head.
The victim was taken to hospital. Medical reports showed he suffered a head haematoma — a collection of blood that looks like a deep bruise — abrasions on both knees, bruising to his fingers, and dizziness.
Mother bites police officer on the arm
Police officers later arrived at the airport, checked the mother and son’s passports and returned them after recording their particulars. However, the pair remained at the airport.
Later that afternoon, officers located them again in the departure hall.
During the encounter, Sui Kwan refused to hand over her passport, struggling violently before being arrested.
An officer supported her head with both hands to prevent her from falling and injuring herself, but she bit his right forearm.
Although the officer’s body-worn camera did not capture the bite, it recorded his cries of pain.
Doctors also confirmed that the officer had a 1cm bite mark and bruising on his arm, consistent with having been bitten through his clothing.
Duo fails to attend trial, mother cites health conditions
The pair also failed to appear in court on the final day of their trial, prompting the court to issue warrants for their arrest.
Sui Kwan was originally charged on Nov 18, 2024, while Wing Kwan was charged on April 24, 2025.
They had been scheduled to appear in court on July 22, 2026, but neither turned up.
Explaining her absence, Sui Kwan said she had been suffering from a skin condition that caused bleeding when scratched, leaving her too weak to walk. She also said she had developed a fever and flu symptoms the day before the hearing.
She added that she did not have a local SIM card and was not carrying her passport, so she could only contact the court via an internet call over Wi-Fi, preventing her from notifying the court in time.
In mitigation, Wing Kwan apologised to the court and the victim, expressing remorse and asking for forgiveness.
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