**********************************************************
A 50-year-old man was sentenced by a Tuen Mun magistrate today (December 2) for obstructing public officers in performing their duties during an anti-illegal hawking raid.
The court was told that the incident took place at the pavement outside 48 to 50, Castle Peak Road, Yuen Long, on October 2, when Food and Environmental Hygiene Department officers were conducting an anti-illegal hawking operation.
"When our officers arrested an illegal hawker at the scene, a man intervened and the hawker fled away," said a department spokesman.
The man was fined $3,500 and a 2-month custodial sentence, suspended for one year, was imposed, for obstructing public officers in performing their duties.
The spokesman reminded the public to co-operate with law-enforcement officers. Obstructing public officers in the exercise of their duties carries serious legal consequences.
Ends/Friday, December 2, 2005
Issued at HKT 20:27
NNNN
