Man gets suspended jail sentence for assaulting FEHD officers
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     A 35-year-old man who assaulted two Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) officers has been convicted of two counts of common assault. He was sentenced to two weeks' imprisonment for each of the charges, to run concurrently and suspended for 18 months, at Eastern Magistrates' Courts today (December 19).

     The court heard that a Chief Hawker Control Officer and a Hawker Control Officer were attacked by the defendant during a blitz operation against unlicensed hawkers and illegal shop extensions at Chun Yeung Street in North Point on September 8 this year.

     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 his 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 will have a criminal record when convicted. Furthermore, the FEHD will claim from offenders losses arising from the absence of duty of injured public officers through civil litigation," he added.

Ends/Thursday, December 19, 2013
Issued at HKT 18:53

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