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A 57-year-old man charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, obstructing public officers in the execution of duty, littering in a public place and criminal damage was sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, for each of the first two charges, and fined $1,500 and $2,000 for each of the two remaining charges at Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts today (September 5).
The court heard that hawker control officers of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) encountered violent resistance while performing duties at Sai Yeung Choi Street South in Mong Kok on May 26 this year. An FEHD officer was attacked and injured by the defendant.
An FEHD spokesman reminded members of the public to co-operate with law enforcement officers. According to section 139 of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Chapter 132), any person who wilfully obstructs, resists or uses abusive language to any law enforcement officer in the execution of their duties is liable to a maximum fine of $25,000 and six months' imprisonment.
"To use force against public officers is not right and offenders would have a criminal record when convicted. Furthermore, the FEHD would claim from offenders any losses arising from the absence of duty of the injured public officers through civil litigation," he added.
Ends/Friday, September 5, 2014
Issued at HKT 18:45
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