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A 21-year-old man charged with littering in a public place, obstructing public officers in the execution of duty and common assault was sentenced to 120 hours' community service at Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (November 17).
The court heard that the defendant refused to co-operate and assaulted a hawker control officer of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) when he was served a fixed penalty notice for discarding a cigarette butt on the pavement of Lui Ming Road in Fanling on November 1 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 would have a criminal record when convicted. Furthermore, the FEHD would claim from offenders losses arising from the absence of duty of the injured public officers through civil litigation," he added.
Ends/Monday, November 17, 2014
Issued at HKT 19:00
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