律政司司長 訴 庾家駒

Read the full judgment text of CAAR 5/2020 on BabelCite. This Court of Appeal judgment was delivered on 18 December 2020 before Poon Shiu Cho PJ, Pang Wai Cheong JA, Pun Man Kuen J.

Criminal law – unlawful assembly – Public Order Ordinance (Cap 245) s.18(3) – participating in unlawful assembly – sentence review under Criminal Procedure Ordinance (Cap 221) s.81A – respondent moved iron barriers with about 20 other protesters outside the government headquarters on Tim Wa Avenue during large-scale protests on 12 June 2019 – police outnumbered and forced to retreat into government headquarters – tear gas fired – respondent pleaded guilty and sentenced to two weeks' immediate imprisonment – whether the magistrate erred in finding the assembly was spontaneous and the respondent was merely passing by without premeditation – whether the magistrate erred in severing the Tim Wa Avenue events from the broader violent unlawful assembly context – whether the two-week sentence was manifestly inadequate and principally wrong – sentencing principles for violent public order offences – eight factors from Wong Chi Fung for assessing seriousness – gravamen of the offence lies in the collective threat of numbers – individual acts not to be assessed in isolation – pre-emptive purpose of s.18 POBO – targeting of government headquarters as the seat of executive authority aggravates the offence – starting point 12 months, one-third discount for guilty plea, one-month further discount for sentence review – final sentence 7 months' immediate imprisonment – appeal allowed, sentence increased.

Legal issues: Whether the magistrate erred in finding the unlawful assembly was spontaneous and the respondent was merely passing by without premeditation · Whether the magistrate erred in severing the Tim Wa Avenue assembly from the broader violent unlawful assembly context · Whether the two-week sentence was manifestly inadequate and principally wrong

Outcome: Sentence review allowed; the original sentence of two weeks' immediate imprisonment was quashed and substituted with seven months' immediate imprisonment.

Cited by 34 cases · Cites 6 cases

Case No.CAAR 5/2020[2020] HKCA 1019
Court
Court of Appeal
Date18 Dec 2020
JudgePoon Shiu Cho PJ, Pang Wai Cheong JA, Pun Man Kuen J
Case Document
100%Judiciary

CAAR 5/2020

[2020] HKCA 1019

香港特別行政區

高等法院上訴法庭

刑事司法管轄權

覆核申請

覆核申請案件2020年第5號

(原東區裁判法院刑事案件2019年第2225號)

________________________

申請人 律政司司長  
   
答辯人 庾家駒(Yu Ka Kui)  

________________________

主審法官: 高等法院首席法官潘兆初
  高等法院上訴法庭法官彭偉昌
高等法院原訟法庭法官潘敏琦
聆訊日期: 2020年11月23日
判案理由書日期: 2020 年 12 月18日

案理由書

高等法院原訟法庭法官潘敏琦頒發上訴法庭判案理由書:

A.  引言

1.答辯人於2020年6月8日,在裁判官林子勤 (「原審裁判官」)席前承認一項參與非法集結罪,違反香港法例第245章《公安條例》第18(3)條,被判處兩星期即時監禁。申請人不服判刑,向原審裁判官申請覆核判刑,原審裁判官於2010年6月19日覆核聆訊後,維持原判。2020年7月10日,申請人獲得許可,根據香港法例第221章《刑事訴訟程序條例》第81A條向上訴法庭申請覆核判刑。

2.2020年11月23日,經過正式覆核聆訊後,本庭裁定申請人的覆核理據成立,撤銷兩星期即時監禁之刑期,改判答辯人即時入獄7個月。本庭現頒布判案理由如下。

B.  案情

3.根據答辯人承認的案情,2019年6月11日,警方就擬於2020年6月12日早上10時至2020年6月14日晚上11 時59分在香港島中區龍匯道南、立法會綜合大樓對出之行人路舉辦的公眾集會,發出不反對通知書。翌日,即6月12日,由於該集會導致沿夏慤道一帶發生一連串的暴力事件,警方就該公眾集會發出禁止公眾集會通知書。當日約於早上八時半開始,夏慤道已被不少於數千名示威者佔據,並以鐵欄等雜物堵塞所有行車線,該馬路於日間大部分時間被他們所佔據。


4.警方在政府總部外添華道與夏慤道交界設立防線,防止示威者從夏慤道進入添華道,下午3時38分,一批本來於夏慤道及龍和道設置防線的警員經添華道閘口撤回政府總部。當時夏慤道已被數以千計的示威者完全佔據。

5.同日下午3時46分,另外約30名警員從防線退至添華道及政府總部閘口交界。集結於添華道的示威者以投擲包括頭盔、雨傘及磚塊等物品衝擊警方防線;警方防線繼續後撤,期間示威者所使用的暴力程度升級,警方防線在衝擊下被迫從添華道撤回政府總部。同時,集結於龍和道及添華道交界的示威者亦開始衝擊防線,該處的警方防線亦被迫撤回政府總部。

6.答辯人被拍攝到在添華道及政府總部外,與其他大約20名示威者向著警方防線搬動鐵欄,答辯人沒有戴口罩,身穿黑色短袖上衣、深色長褲及淺色運動鞋,左手手持一柄黑色兩傘。最後警方需在添華道發射催淚彈驅散群眾。

7.同日下午3時49分,示威者以鐵欄設置障礙物阻擋政府總部主閘口;從拍攝的片段可見,其時該處有包括答辯人在內的數百名示威者集結。答辯人於2019年8月27日被拘捕,警誡下他保持緘默。

C.  答辯人背景及輕判求情

8.答辯人33歲,已婚,有一個一歲大的兒子,是家庭的經濟支柱。他過往沒有刑事定罪紀錄。他任職一所貴金屬買賣的貿易公司董事助理,與董事均醉心於書法和篆刻。辯方指當天下午他曾到大會堂替其董事處理展覽事宜。由於道路已被堵塞,所以他沿著龍和道經過示威者[1],步行到附近瞭解情況[2],他看見多人聚集[3]。當他到達政府總部時,受到現場環境影響被鼓動而情緒高漲[4],他聽到有人叫「搬鐵馬」才會加入作出將鐵馬搬放到政府總部門口的行為[5]

9.原審及覆核階段代表答辯人的伍頴珊大律師強調,答辯人個人的行為只涉及搬鐵馬,亦沒有以手持的雨傘作出衝擊或投擲的行為,更沒有以頭盔護目鏡之類的物品遮掩容貌。可見他並沒有預謀犯案,而搬動鐵馬的行為不具攻擊性,頂多只是阻礙警方向前線推進[6]。她邀請法庭把關注點聚焦在添華道政府總部門外的情況,當時該處只有大約20人,故答辯人的參與程度相對低,也沒有引致任何人受傷或造成財物損失;他的參與只持續很短時間,搬完鐵馬便離去。伍大律師同意就本案而言,即時監禁無可避免,但她強調答辯人的行為,相對輕微。

E.  原審判刑理由

10.原審裁判官考慮了律政司司長與黃之鋒及他人[7]一案中的判刑原則。他認為「非法集結的規模大,亦涉及暴力,故依循上述原則對刑罰和阻嚇這兩個元素給予較多比重。」[8]  但他認為答辯人的參與局限於添華道約20人的集結,不應與夏慤道的集結堵路一併考慮[9]。他接受答辯人明顯是在打點其僱主翌日在大會堂的展覽,「因工作關係」「路過」[10],受現場環境感染[11],即興的在事前並無計劃的情況下即興犯案[12]

11.原審裁判官認為答辯人的角色不涉主動安排、帶領、號召、煽動或鼓吹他人參與使用暴力[13],所參與的集結人數不多,牽涉的處所或範圍不大,為時不長,搬動鐵馬的暴力程度不高,沒有導致任何執勤的警員受傷或財物損失[14]。裁判官以三星期監禁作為量刑起點,並給予三分之一的認罪扣減,判監兩星期。

F.  裁判官席前的覆核

12.申請人根據香港法例第227章《裁判官條例》第104條,向原審裁判官申請覆核本案。代表申請人的署理高級助理刑事檢控專員余國慧陳詞指出,原審裁判官沒有充分考慮懲罰及判刑的因素,而過於著重答辯人個人的行為,又沒有充分考慮現場其他人士的暴力行為(庭上播放的錄影片段包括在搬鐵馬前後均有人擲出頭盔和路錐(俗稱雪糕筒)等的行為)。她認為適當的量刑基準為不少於兩個月的監禁[15]

13.原審裁判官認為,他已按照律政司司長訴黃之鋒一案的判刑原則,作出周詳考慮牽涉的暴力行為及答辯人個人的參與[16]。他認為申請方誤會了他的判刑理由。他表示,假如他只考慮後者而沒有對前者作出詳細考慮,他根本未必須判處答辯人即時監禁[17]。他認為以三個星期作為量刑基準,已充分反映量刑的阻嚇性。

G.  本覆核中申請人的立場  

14.申請人由助理刑事檢控專員余國慧代表,就是此覆核提出以下的理據:

(1)  裁判官低估了本案罪行的嚴重性,沒有對懲罰和阻嚇性的判刑因素給予充分比重;

(2)  裁判官沒有正確地評估答辯人的刑責;

(3)  兩星期的監禁刑期原則性犯錯及/或明顯過輕。

15.申請人認為該刑期是一名法官在考慮過全部有關因素後,不會合理地認為是屬於恰當的判刑範圍之內[18]

16.余專員指出,有關的片段清楚顯示龍和道中有大量示威者集結,衝過鐵馬進入添華道,答辯人亦承認是從龍和道進入添華道;夏慤道當時亦有大量人士集結,大量的示威者從夏慤道方向進入添華道:警方寡不敵眾才後退進入政府總部。原審裁判官以沒有任何資料顯示當日集會為何發生,是對當時社會上廣為人知的情況視而不見,亦忽略了上訴人的裝束打扮與多數的示威者相若,從而錯誤地作出本案的非法集結「明顯事前並無計畫」、答辯人只是「路過」 的裁定。再者,余專員指,裁判官忽略了共同犯罪的基礎,無視無論示威者是從夏慤道或從龍和道進入添華道,其目的旨在衝擊作為本港行政機關總部的政府總部,阻擋政府總部入口,阻止已撤退入內的警員岀來、未撤退的警員進入。判官錯誤強行把判刑的基礎定性在添華道政府總部門外一小撮示威者搬鐵馬的行動,完全無視金鐘範圍整體非法集結的暴力情況。

17.余專員強調,裁判官沒有充分考慮答辯人在當時天氣良好仍攜帶雨傘、身穿的衣物,不可能是單純路過或興之所至步行至該處,裁判官沒有正確地評估答辯人的刑責,錯誤地以申請人只是路過而不具預謀作量刑的事實基礎。本案所涉及的非法集結必然屬於黃之鋒案例所指涉及不輕的暴力成份的情況,兩星期的監禁刑期犯上原則性錯誤或明顯過輕。

H.  答辯人的立場      

18.答辯人由伍頴珊大律師代表,反對刑期覆核申請。伍大律師認為本案的罪行地點規範在香港添華道政府總部外,有關片段只拍攝到答辯人10秒的行為,她指無論片段及承認事實均沒有披露答辯人如何、何事和何故到達案發地點,本案的同意案情摘要沒有顯示任何答辯人的犯案動機或策劃,而控方未能就其犯案動機或策劃舉證,亦從沒有舉證證明答辯人在搬動鐵馬時,完全知悉從夏慤道示威者進入添華道後的暴力行為,及他在搬動鐵馬那一刻,與其他示威者有著以政府總部為目標、挑戰政權共同的犯罪意圖;申請人亦錯誤要求法庭憑藉答辯人的衣著去考慮他是否有預謀或目的地犯案,法庭不能對答辯人作出不利推斷而作為判刑考慮因素之一[19]。是故原審裁判官正確接納答辯人只是「路過」。

19.同一道理,伍大律師不同意申請人所指,原審裁判官理應得知當時的社會情況並知曉當時的集會如何衍生,因為這些既非日常常識或司法認知;申請人指警方是寡不敵眾才後退入添華道的說法亦沒有任何證據支持;因此,原審裁判官正確地因應答辯人的角色,把他的刑責局限於10多秒鐘與20多個人搬鐵馬的行為,而與其他地點的示威者區分過來。

I.  討論與分析

I1.     突發或預謀

20.根據Secretary for Justice and Wong Chi Fung[20],終審法庭認為刑事訴訟程序條例第81A條賦予上訴法庭權力,重新審視原審法官席前的證據,以決定申請人所提出的上訴理據是否成立:

“110...Here, the Secretary for Justice was contending in the review that the Magistrate had erred in principle and imposed a manifestly inadequate sentence. The Court of Appeal was entitled, and obliged, to consider the evidence before the Magistrate to determine if those grounds of review were established.”

21.終審法庭在上述案件中確認上訴法庭在判詞第135段所臚列的八項有助法庭釐清某暴力非法集結的嚴重程度的因素,現撮列如下:

(1)  突發或預謀情況;

(2)  施行暴力者人數;

(3)  暴力的程度;

(4)  暴力的規模;

(5)  暴力行為持續情況;

(6)  引致的後果;

(7)  造成的威脅之嚴重性及迫近程度;

(8)  角色和參與程度

22.原審裁判官在考慮上述因素時,認為本案案情對夏慤道的集結詳情欠奉,裁定本案所涉的非法集結「明顯事前並無計劃」。他接納辯方大律師所指,答辯人只是因工作原因「路過」,並無預謀。

23.首先,本席須考慮裁判官席前的證據,以審視答辯人只是路過、沒有預謀的裁斷作為量刑考慮基礎是否正確。

24.根據 R v Cairns[21]:

“4. ...when an offender pleads guilty. The admission comprised within the guilty plea is to the offence and not necessarily to all the facts or inferences for which the prosecution contend. Once again, however, the responsibility for determining the facts which inform the assessment of the sentence is that of the judge. In the normal course, when the contrary is not suggested, that assessment will be based on the prosecution facts as disclosed by the statements. If, however, the offender seeks to challenge that account, the onus is on him to do so and to identify the areas of dispute in writing, first with the prosecution and then with the court.

5. The proper approach of the prosecution to basis of plea was considered in Tolera [1999] 1 Cr. App. R.29...

ii) The written basis of plea must be scrutinized by the prosecution with great care.  If a defendant seeks to mitigate on the basis of assertions of fact outside the prosecutor’s knowledge (for example as to his state of mind), the judge should be invited not to accept this version unless given on oath and tested in cross examination...If evidence is not given in this way, then the judge might draw such inferences as he thought fit from that fact.”

25.伍大律師力陳,本庭受制於裁判官就本案的非法集結所作出「明顯事前並無計劃」裁斷。本庭在Secretary for Justice v CMT and YYH[22]一案中處理過類似的議題:

“34.  It is trite that on a sentence review the Secretary for Justice is not entitled to rely on a factual basis different to that accepted by the prosecution below: Wong Chi Fung (CFA), ibid.  But that is not the case here.  Properly understood, when the prosecution appeared to have accepted there was no evidence or suggestion that the respondents had “participated in anything other than that have been suggested in the brief facts”, this could not have precluded the drawing of proper inferences from what was stated in the Admitted Facts concerning the level of their participation and their role, as confirmed by the video footages which the Magistrate had viewed.  The prosecution did not ask the Magistrate to adopt a blinkered approach to the evidence as suggested by Mr Pun.  Thus contrary to his submissions, the applicant has not impermissibly gone beyond the factual basis of the 1st respondent’s participation as presented to the Magistrate below.”

26.答辯人當時對龍和道和夏慤道的非法集會是否知情,完全屬他個人的認知 (his state of mind),控方實無從知曉。法庭有權憑藉承認事實和有關的呈堂片段作出推論。假如辯方意欲以被告對夏慤道的非法集會涉及暴力毫不知情作求情陳述,辯方有責任向法庭提出,而除非此說法在宣誓下道出並接受盤問的測試,否則控方有權邀請法庭不接受這樣的說法。事實上,伍大律師不但沒有向原審裁判官提出這點,她代答辯人求情時表示,答辯人離開大會堂時知道當時「大會堂已經開唔到車出去」,而眾所周知,從大會堂開車出去的道路就是夏慤道,故此伍大律師嘗試指出答辯人不知道夏慤道有集會情況是不切實際的。

27.根據同意案情,當天自早上8時30分開始,夏慤道的所有行車線已被堵塞和佔領,下午3時38分夏慤道已被數千名示威者堵塞,這亦正正是答辯人所指「大會堂已經開唔到車出去」的情況。答辯人在大會堂辦完公事後,選擇取道龍和道時,根本不可能不知道夏慤道大規模堵塞行車線的集結是非法的:

“179. In this respect, the concurring speech of Judge Wojtyczek at O1-3 pinpointed the rationale for finding such conduct reprehensible:

. ...The effects of such roadblocks go far beyond the usual disruption caused by demonstrations in public places. They also go well beyond the idea of a sit-in protest organised around certain specified places for the purpose of blocking access to them. The applicants took these actions to promote their opinions, not by strength of argument, but by directly undermining the legitimate individual economic interests of a significant number of third parties, and by disrupting the economic life of their country — and thus, more by argument of strength...“。(Leung Kwok Hung v Secretary for Justice (No.2)[23])

28.伍大律師力陳答辯人未必完全掌握當時的情況,是牽強和自欺欺人的。因為以資訊發達的今時今日而言,從社交媒體知悉周邊的情況,易如反掌,根本無需親身前往現場「瞭解情況」,何況在當時道路堵塞已持續了好一段時間:

“73. ...But modern technology has done away with the need for such direct personal communications. It can all be done through Facebook or other social media. In other words, the abuse of modern technology for criminal purposes extends to and includes incitement of very many people by a single step. Indeed it is a sinister feature of these cases that modern technology almost certainly assisted rioters in other places to organise the rapid movement and congregation of disorderly groups in new and unpoliced areas...” (R v Blackshaw[24])

29.伍大律師在求情時同意法庭可以考慮附近的集結情況,她同意當時出現暴力情況[25],她亦指「如果講大圍嘅環境,人係多嘅,我哋見到,周圍嘅人係多。咁而嗰個係有一定程度嘅衝擊...」[26] 答辯人從大會堂沿龍和道是經過示威者到達搬鐵馬的位置的,他承認當中亦有人投擲物件,示威者的情緒激烈[27]。事實上,從片段可見,無論在搬鐵馬之前和之後都有人投擲物件,而答辯人是和在較前排從龍和道搬鐵馬入添華道的人士一起,即使在龍和道他不是在最前方,也定必穿插經過不少鼓噪、情緒激昂、投擲物件、手持雨傘的示威者,才能到達較前搬鐵馬的位置,這與他僅是「路過」一時衝動而犯案之說背道而馳。

30.根據同意案情,答辯人沒有戴口罩但穿著黑色短袖T 恤、深色長褲及左手手持一把黑色的雨傘。眾所周知,這些裝備與當時激進示威者的裝束相若。誠然,這一點本身可以是中性的證供,但亦是法庭在判刑時決定上訴人是否有預謀可考慮的事實基礎: 特別是從片段可見,當大批示威者湧入添華道時,多人打開雨傘。

“ ... Many of them were dressed in black and wore gears such as helmets, respirators, googles, gloves and masks, an indication that it involved some premeditation...Many shield themselves behind umbrellas to hide their and others’ identities...” (CMT, supra, paragraph 29)

31.這也是Leung Kwok Hung(No 2) 案中所指,大規模暴動中所使用的 “black bloc tactics” (第771頁)

“ ... The evidence also shows that there were many instances where less radical protestors remaining at the scene to provide moral and actual support (in terms of shielding the identities of those violent protestors)”

32.在重新審視原審法官席前的證據後,本庭認為,裁判官接納答辯人只是路過沒有預謀的裁斷武斷。答辯人的指稱他是步行到當地受到情緒高漲的示威者的鼓動而搬鐵馬之說,從來沒有受到盤問的測試,純屬缺乏證供支持的空談,以圖淡化他是刻意到達現場,有一定程度的預謀犯案。

I2.      龍和道或夏慤道

33.從片段可見,示威者停在龍和道添華道時,警員仍設置防線。後來,警員撤入政府總部後,示威者一湧而至,源源不絕,答辯人是在前排湧入搬鐵馬設置障礙物的人士之一。

34.原審裁判官一方面認同是次的非法集結規模大、涉及暴力,但他基於答辯人是來自龍和道,人數較少暴力程度較低的一群示威者,認為「將來自夏慤道人群的所作所為加諸在被告人身上並不公允」。

35.申請人認為龍和道和夏慤道的示威者有著針對政府總部入口的共同目標,裁判官不應側重申請人所來自的龍和道示威者的暴力性質及申請人的參與部份,而硬生生把在夏慤道的暴力非法集結從判刑考慮中分割出去,答辯人承認的案情和錄影片段都難以支持該裁定。伍大律師則認為裁判官的考慮並無不妥。

36.本庭認為,答辯人從龍和道進入添華道搬鐵馬時,他定已知悉夏慤道的情況已不止是群情洶湧,衝擊的暴力程度實因示威者已接近政府總部而升級,這些應該是原審裁判官判刑的事實基礎。根據原審裁判官席前的片段,當時的警力明顯不勝應付在場龐大數目的示威者,警員因寡不敵眾而撤退進政府總部內是唯一合理的推論,夏慤道和龍和道的示威者的目標是針對政府總部入口,利用人多勢眾對政府總部入口而起碼作出擾亂秩序行為,意圖導致或相當可能導致任何人合理地害怕他們會破壞社會安寧,而不只是裁判官所裁定暴力行為只是「令警方執行職責(或驅散)較為不便」而已,又或者只是伍大律師在求情時所指的「相信是令到警方唔可以向前推,或者有困難向前推進」那麼簡單[28]

I3.     控罪要旨

37.本庭在律政司司長訴鍾嘉豪[29]一案中已重申參與非法集結的控訴要旨,並強調此控罪的公害,往往比干犯這項控罪的表面行為深遠(第49段),“法庭須以維護公共秩序為大前提”,顧及此控罪先發性、防微杜漸的目的(第53段)。 本庭在嘉豪再次節錄黃之鋒案的H.3,以提醒各有關人士須認真考慮控訴要旨 (第51段)、而非口惠而實不至:

「27. 參與非法集結的控訴要旨(gravamen),是參與者人數眾多,和參與者恃著人多勢眾來達到他們的共同目的。對於這個情構成的公共秩序威脅,以及它的嚴重性和嚴重性的原因,英國和香港的案例已有各種分析和討論。」

38.本庭現把英國上訴法院Sachs LJ在R v Carid[30]一案判詞第 507頁原文節錄:

“The present case was one of a long-lasting concerted attempt of grave proportions by aggressive force of numbers to overpower the police, to embark on wrecking, and to terrify citizens engaged in following peaceable and lawful pursuits. Any participation whatever, irrespective of its precise form, in an unlawful or riotous assembly of this type derives its gravity from becoming one of those who, by weight of numbers, pursued a common and unlawful purpose. The law of this country has always leant heavily against those who, to attain such a purpose, use the threat that lies in the power of numbers.

Over and over again it was submitted on behalf of the applicants that their individual acts should be regarded as if they had been committed in isolation.  Attempts were made on this footing to make light of such matters as pushing a police officer on one side, breaking a window, or throwing a lighted mole fuse at one of the officers.  In the view of this Court, it is a wholly wrong approach to take the acts of any individual participator in isolation.  They were not committed in isolation and, as already indicated, it is that very fact that constitutes the gravity of the offence...”

39.R v Blackshaw[31], 英國上訴法庭首席法官Lord Judge勳爵指出:

“9. It was observed on behalf of some of the defendants that their involvement followed earlier criminal activity by others. While that is factually correct, it provides no mitigation whatever for criminal activity which created or exacerbated the public disorder problem with which police and fire officers were dealing. The reality is that the offenders were deriving support and comfort and encouragement from being together with other offenders, and offering comfort, support and encouragement to the offenders around them. Perhaps too, the sheer numbers involved may have led some of the offenders to believe that they were untouchable and would escape detection. That leads us to address the suggestion that perhaps this level of public disorder should be treated as “mindless” activity. It was undoubtedly stupid and irresponsible and dangerous. However none of these appeals involves children or young offenders with significant mental health problems. None of the offenders before us was ‘mindless”. The actions were deliberate and each knew exactly what he (and in one case, she) was doing.”

40.上訴法庭在HKSAR v Tang Ho Yin[32]表示:

“24. Three important principles may be derived from these two authorities: firstly, the gravity of the offence of riot is not to be judged merely by what the individual did (or did not do), but by what the group to whose number he lent his support did; secondly, the offence may be aggravated by the commission of other crimes during the course of the riot; thirdly, those who resort to the company and association of others in order to inflict widespread violence and destruction must be strongly deterred…In some, the disturbances are caused by rival groups or gangs, in others, the police are themselves the target of group aggression…

26…the appellant is clearly shown as one of a large group of rioters directly confronting the police who were plainly outnumbered…”

41.上述案例雖不涉非法集結控罪,但均有著如本案一樣,涉及集體破壞公共秩序罪行的共通點。就此一點的重要性,上訴法庭在律政司司長訴羅敏聰[33]一案中表示:

「34. (2)...視乎案情,法庭需要考慮犯案的日期、時間、地點和場合、在場的人數、其他在場的人是否相當可能甚至實際受到鼓動而加入一同作案;如果在場的人因情緒激動起哄而干犯其他罪行,又相當可能實際引起對國旗懷有不同態度的人之間的衝突,這到加重了罪行的嚴重性。

(4) 被告人是否夥同其他人犯罪;若是,其刑責更重。就算被告人不是早有預謀或早經策劃,而只是在犯案過程中鼓動了其他人加入,但只要他在知情下繼續進行違法行為,那仍然是夥同犯罪。如果被告人是受到其他人鼓動加入一同犯案,一樣是夥同犯案。」

42.嘉豪案的判詞第61段重申Tang Ho Yin案第27段所指:

「...在任何情緒極高漲的衝突當中,如果暴力不被有效圍堵或控制,則無可避免地㑹一見暴力升級的危險 -- 尤其當執法人員人數被遠遠超出。」

43.本庭認為,從片段可見,當時警方與示威者的人數懸殊,擾攘的局面實屬沸沸騰騰,叫囂不絕,參與人士情緒極高漲,如箭在弦,隨時有一觸即發,一發不可收拾的危機。答辯人的作為,是把已經沸騰的局面,火上加油。正正就是羅敏聰案所指的給他人壯膽、吶喊助威、鼓動和強化其他示威者的暴力行徑: “have the effect of emboldering, encouraging and reinforcing the violent behaviour of other protestors”。

44.R v Gilmour[34]英國上訴法院Hughes法官說:

“It is an unavoidable feature of mass disorder that each individual act, whatever might be its character taken on its own, inflames and encourages others to behave similarly, and that the harm done to the public stems from the combined effect of what is done en masse...”

45.Leung Kwok Hung (No.2):

“227. In Secretary for Justice v Leung Kwok Wah, the court observed that section 18(which deals with unlawful assembly) has a pre-emptive effect and the design of the law is to put a stop to a deteriorating situation...

The unchallenged evidence on the worrying phenomenon recently witnessed in Hong Kong where the situations were often highly fluid (with peaceful demonstration rapidly developed into unlawful riots with wanton and reckless violence causing serious damage to properties and even serious injuries to others).  The evidence also shows that there were many instances where less radical protestors remaining at the scene to provide moral and actual support (in terms of shielding the identities of those violent protestors).  Instead of condemnation of violent acts committed or the public disorder occasioned by the radical protestors, some other protestors provide assistance to the perpetuators of violence and destructive acts.”

46.黃之鋒,supra:

「126. 再者,經驗告訴我們,當大批示威者聚集時,很大可能㑹出現情緒高漲甚至㴛動的情況,而這種情況本身有造成暴力事件的風險。有時,甚至會有以挑起暴力事端為目的之不法之徒在場趁機行事,這方面的風險不容忽視: 見女王訴陶君行 [1995]1 HKCLR 251,麥德高法官的判詞第257頁。因此,第 18條的非法集結是必需的預防措施,對社會安寧可能被破壞和破㙥社會安寧所引發的嚴重後果防微杜漸: 梁國華案,上訴法庭法官林文瀚的判詞第40段。

127.  在維持公共秩序的大前題下,並且顧及到非法集結的控罪要旨,㳓庭在判刑時除了耍對犯案首施予合適的懲罰,亦需要考慮阻嚇的判刑元素,即㓥刑不僅要防止犯案者重犯,亦需以儆效尤,阻嚇其他人不要以身試法,有樣學樣來破壞或擾亂公共秩序。法庭應該給予阻嚇這判刑元素的比重,則視乎䅁件實際情況而定。若案情嚴重,法庭需要判處具阻嚇性的刑罰。」

47.原審裁判官只考慮答辯人的自身行為,選擇性地把夏慤道和龍和道示威者的暴力和破壞社會安寧棄之不顧,沒有考慮到當時大規模非法集結,人數眾多的整體行為,完全無視參與者的激昂情況隨時可以被進一步挑動,繼而引致其他人命傷亡、財物破壞等的局面,是犯了原則性的錯誤,是錯誤地強行把答辯人自身行為從非法集結整體考慮切割出來。

I4.     高風險建築物

48.事發當天本案的非法集結,明顯是衝著政府總部而來,夏慤道和龍和道的示威者的目標,是政府總部,對政府總部和周邊的建築物和公眾構成嚴重威脅: CMT, supra, 第29段。非法集結的目標建築物是判刑時考慮的重要情節:律政司司長對梁曉陽[35]。該案的衝擊目標是立法會大樓。上訴法庭認為立法會作為代表民意的機關,衝擊者不僅損害立法會作為代表民意的尊嚴,也妨礙其他合法和平集會的人表達意見和要求的權利,嚴重者引起不同意見者肢體衝突。同一道理,如余專員所指,本案涉及以本港行政機關的總部為目標,不止是阻礙員警那麼簡單,而是正面挑戰政府的管治。

J.  原審裁判官的錯誤

49.如上I1部所述,原審裁判官在處理本案的事實基礎上犯錯。裁量刑期時只執著於案中沒有證供顯示實際有任何財物損失或破壞,也沒有任何執勤的警員受傷,卻漠視控罪的控訴要旨,是防患於未然。即使本案沒有財物破壞、沒有任何人受傷,整體暴力行為的威脅之嚴重性仍是不容忽視的。兩個星期的阻嚇刑期,只是象徵性,懲罰性和阻嚇力度不足。阻嚇性刑罰,不只阻嚇被控人重犯,亦以儆效尤。就本案而言,判刑時懲罰和阻嚇的元素仍應是佔最大比重的。 

K.  改判刑期

50.本庭認為,申請人提出的三項理據均成立。考慮了本案所有相關的情況及黃之鋒案的8項因素,本庭認為本案的適當的量刑基準是12個月的即時監禁,由於答辯人認罪,可獲三分之一量刑扣減。再基於本次的刑期覆核,答辯人已服畢兩個星期的刑期,再另酌情給予一個月的扣減。判刑七個月。

(潘兆初) (彭偉昌) (潘敏琦)
高等法院首席法官 高等法院上訴法庭法官  高等法院原訟法庭法官 

申請人:由律政司高級助理刑事檢控專員余國慧女士及高級檢控官張卓勤先生代表

答辯人:由伍展邦律師行轉聘伍頴珊大律師代表  


[1] 上訴卷宗第28頁H段

[2] 上訴卷宗第25頁C至D段

[3] 上訴卷宗第25頁C段

[4] 上訴卷宗第25頁D段

[5] 上訴卷宗第28頁H至J段

[6] 上訴卷宗第28頁K段

[7] [2018] 2HKLRD 299

[8] 上訴卷宗第46頁D至F段

[9]  上訴卷宗第47頁O至P段

[10] 上訴卷宗第31頁Q段

[11] 上訴卷宗第31頁M段、49頁J至K段

[12] 上訴卷宗第47頁F段

[13] 上訴卷宗第49頁N段

[14] 上訴卷宗第48頁A至G段

[15] 上訴卷宗第36頁D段

[16] 上訴卷宗第41頁Q段

[17] 上訴卷宗第41頁S至T段

[18] AG’s Reference No 4 of 1989 (1989) 11 Cr App R (S) 517,第521頁。

[19] Duffy v R [2009] NSWCCA 305 。

[20] [2018] HKCFA 4

[21] [2013] 2 Cr.App R (S) 73

[22] CAAR 3/2020

[23] [2020] 2 HKLRD 771

[24] [2011] EWCA Crim 2312

[25]上訴卷宗第28頁D段

[26]上訴卷宗第27頁T段

[27]上訴卷宗第27頁T至U段、上訴卷宗第28頁H段

[28] 上訴卷宗第28頁K段

[29] CAAR 4/2020

[30] (1970) 54 Cr App R 499

[31] [2012] 1 WLR 1126@1131

[32] [2019] 3 HKLRD 502

[33] CAAR 4/2019

[34]  [2011] EWCA Crim 2458

[35] [2018]1HKLRD 702第118段