Hong Kong club-goer who won legal battle against ladies’ night discrimination is denied payout for ‘injured feelings’

A disgruntled disco-goer who took a club to court for offering women cheaper drinkshas failed in his bid to claim compensation for “injury to feelings” because he was not ruled to be a true “victim”.

In a decision handed down on Thursday, acting chief district judge Justin Ko King-sau wrote it would be “absurd” if the claimant obtained a “windfall” of as much as HK$50,000.

This was despite the same judge previously ruling in favour of Yiu Shui-kwong in what was said to be the first sex discrimination case taken to court by Hong Kong’s equal opportunities watchdog over “ladies’ night” discounts.

The Equal Opportunities Commission filed the case in the District Court in October last year on behalf of Yiu, who accused a karaoke and disco club of breaching sex discrimination laws by charging men more for a drink than women.

Despite having received similar complaints dating back to at least the late 1990s, the commission said earlier that this was the first time it had taken such a case to court.

The court accepted the watchdog’s application for a judgment after Legend World Asia Group, named as the respondent, failed to give notice of opposition.

Yiu said he paid HK$300 to enter the Legends Club on July 28, 2014, while women customers were charged HK$120 for the same facilities and services. He claimed he was treated less favourably by Legend World Asia on the grounds of his sex.
T/H: scmp