The Queen v. Lai Kong Hoi

Read the full judgment text of HCMA 1540/1989 on BabelCite. This High Court CFI judgment was delivered on 27 February 1990.

1. The appellant in this matter pleaded guilty to claiming to be a member of a triad society and to inviting persons to become members of an unlawful society. He was sentenced on the first charge to 18 months' imprisonment and on the second charge to 6 months' imprisonment, to be served consecutively making in total, by a sentence of 24 months' imprisonment.

Case No.HCMA 1540/1989
Court
High Court CFI
Date27 Feb 1990
Judge
Case Document
100%Judiciary

HCMA001540/1989

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF HONG KONG

(Appellate Jurisdiction)

MAGISTRACY APPEAL NO. 1540 OF 1989

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BETWEEN

The Queen

Respondent

AND

LAI Kong-hoi

Appellant

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Coram: Hon. Ryan, J. In Court

Date of hearing: 27 February 1990

Date of judgment: 27 February 1990

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JUDGMENT

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1. The appellant in this matter pleaded guilty to claiming to be a member of a triad society and to inviting persons to become members of an unlawful society. He was sentenced on the first charge to 18 months' imprisonment and on the second charge to 6 months' imprisonment, to be served consecutively making in total, by a sentence of 24 months' imprisonment.

2. The facts of the case are that the appellant claimed himself to be a member of a triad society to a group of young boys aged 13, 14, and 15 and proceeded to invite them to become members of an unlawful society. These were serious offences and were aggravated by the fact that the appellant, a man of 29, was endeavouring to recruit young boys into the triad society.

3. The appellant's record shows that he was convicted for similar offences in 1987 and was sentenced to a total of nine months' imprisonment: He appears to have learned nothing from that experience. The only mitigating feature was that the appellant pleaded quilty.

4. While the magistrate was wrong in principle to impose concurrent sentences in respect of two charges which arose from the same set of facts, in respect of the totality of the sentence I am not in any way convinced that it was manifestly excessive. Accordingly the appeal is dismissed.

(T.J. Ryan)
Judge of the High Court

Representation:

Miss E. Chan, S.C.C., for Crown

Appellant in present

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF HONG KONG

(Appellate Jurisdiction)

MAGISTRACY APPEAL NO. 1540 OF 1989

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BETWEEN

THE QUEEN

Respondent

AND

LAI KONG HOI

Appellant

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Coram: Hon. Ryan, J. in court

Date of hearing: 27 February 1990

Date of Judgment: 27 February 1990

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ERRATUM

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5. " in line 2 it paragraph 2 on page 2 is amended to reed "consecutive".

(T.J. Ryan)
Judge of the High Court