香港特別行政區 訴 肖娜容及另二人

香港特別行政區 訴 肖娜容及另二人

The Court held the trial judge failed to give adequate and properly sequenced directions on the subjective element of 'reasonable grounds to believe', omitted the required step of treating defence assertions that may be 'possible true' as part of the assessment, gave incomplete guidance on the nature of predicate...

Source-derived case information.

Citation
[2026] HKCA 205
Parties
Respondent: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; First Applicant: Xiao Ra rong (肖娜容) (D3); Second Applicant: Xiao YouQuan (肖友泉) (D4); Third Applicant: Wong Leung hoi (王良海) (D5)
Court
Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction
Hong Kong
Judgment Date
6 March 2026
Case Number
CACC157/2021
Procedural Posture
Criminal Appeal / Permission to Appeal Against Conviction and Out of Time Appeal Against Conviction and Sentence Heard and Determined by Court of Appeal; Judgment Delivered
Outcome
Appeals allowed; convictions and sentences quashed and set aside; immediate release of applicants where no retrial applied for
Legal Topics
Money Laundering, Conspiracy to Launder, Jury Directions, Expert Evidence, Reasonable Grounds to Believe, Extraterritoriality of Predicate Offences, Registration of Remittance Agents
Source Language
ch
Criminal Law Money Laundering Evidence Appeals Jury Law Conspiracy to Launder Jury Directions Expert Evidence +3 more

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Parties

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Respondent

Xiao Ra rong (肖娜容) (D3)

First Applicant

Xiao YouQuan (肖友泉) (D4)

Second Applicant

Wong Leung hoi (王良海) (D5)

Third Applicant

Procedural Posture

Criminal Appeal / Permission to Appeal Against Conviction and Out of Time Appeal Against Conviction and Sentence Heard and Determined by Court of Appeal; Judgment Delivered

  1. 1 Whether trial judge failed to give adequate jury directions on the subjective element ('reasonable grounds to believe') required for money‑laundering offences
  2. 2 Whether the trial judge erred in admitting or relying on expert evidence addressing the ultimate issue and objective indicators of money‑laundering
  3. 3 Whether the trial judge failed to explain that conduct merely to avoid mainland foreign‑exchange controls is not a Hong Kong prosecutable offence and the impact on the jury's assessment of predicate offences

Ratio Decidendi

The Court held the trial judge failed to give adequate and properly sequenced directions on the subjective element of 'reasonable grounds to believe', omitted the required step of treating defence assertions that may be 'possible true' as part of the assessment, gave incomplete guidance on the nature of predicate offences (erroneously suggesting extraterritorial conduct was necessarily within Hong Kong law), and gave inadequate directions on conspiracy mens rea; these deficiencies rendered the convictions unsafe. Consequently the convictions and sentences of D3, D4 and D5 were quashed and set aside, and immediate release ordered where no retrial was sought.

Court Disposition

Appeals allowed; convictions and sentences quashed and set aside; immediate release of applicants where no retrial applied for

Orders

  • Convictions of Xiao Ra rong (D3), Xiao YouQuan (D4) and Wong Leung hoi (D5) quashed and set aside
  • Sentences imposed at trial quashed and set aside; D5 had served his sentence and been released