Click on a specific part of HTML element - selenium

Question

I have a checkbox element on my web-page which has a partial link which reads as Read the conduct risk manual where in conduct risk manual is a link which when clicked on navigates to page that has conduct risk manual listed down.
The HTML structure for this element is as below:
<div class="checkbox">
<label>
<input ng-disabled="readonly" type="checkbox" name="policyRead" required="" ng-model="confirmOa.confirmation.policyRead" class="ng-pristine ng-untouched ng-invalid ng-invalid-required xh-highlight">
<span>Read the <a target="_blank" href="http://somesite.xyz/Conduct%Risk%Manual.pdf">Conduct Risk Manual</a></span>
</label>
</div>
Now I want to click on a check-box which used to work if I click on span element but now even if I try with below combinations of web-driver is still clicking on link Conduct Risk Manual
1) .//div/label/input[#name='policyRead']
2) .//input[#name='policyRead' and #type='checkbox']
3) .//span[contains(text(),'Read the')]
4) .//span[contains(text(),'Read')]
5) .//input[#name='startDateConfirmed']//preceding::span[1]
In the 5th xpath I have tried clicking on span element using the following HTML element which is correctly identified and clicked.
I have tried many combinations apart from those mentioned above and all the xpath's correctly highlight the expected element which means it is correctly identified. But still web-driver clicks on Conduct Risk Manual link and navigates to a new page instead of clicking corresponding checkbox.
Can we make web-driver click on a specific part of an element?
Please check xpath's wherein I have already tried using only 'Read' or 'Read the' portion of span element.

Answer 1

Try this below code.
Explanation: Use text method with span tag, then move ahead with preceding-sibling keyword to find input tag for clicking the checkbox element.
Note: span tag use here for reference to get the check-box element text.
WebElement checkbox = driver.findElement(By.xpath("//span[contains(text(),'Read the')]//preceding-sibling::input[#name='policyRead']"));
if(!checkbox.isSelected()) // if checkbox is not selected, then only if is condition will execute.
{
checkbox.click();
}
OR
Using Java-script executor to click the checkbox web-element.
WebElement checkbox = driver.findElement(By.xpath("//span[contains(text(),'Read the')]//preceding-sibling::input[#name='policyRead']"));
((JavascriptExecutor) driver).executeScript("arguments[0].click();", checkbox);

Answer 2

You can try with this code also as a tag is coming over to the checkbox.
WebElement checkBox= driver.findElement(By.xpath("//span[contains(text(),'Read the')]//preceding-sibling::input[#type='checkbox']"));
Actions action = new Actions(driver);
action.moveToElement(checkBox).click().build().perform();`
Also add import org.openqa.selenium.interactions.Actions; .