律政司司長 訴 陳興東

律政司司長 訴 陳興東

Court allowed the prosecution's review: dangerous driving benchmark set at 24 months but reduced to 16 months after plea; obstruction benchmark set at 6 months reduced to 4 months after plea; offences 3 and 4 each set at 4 months; concurrency structured so offences 1 and 2 are partially consecutive (two months...

Source-derived case information.

Citation
[2022] HKCA 1415
Parties
Applicant: Secretary for Justice (律政司司長); Respondent: CHAN Hing tung (陳興東)
Court
Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction
Hong Kong
Judgment Date
23 September 2022
Case Number
CAAR1/2022
Procedural Posture
Criminal Sentence Review Under S81 a Criminal Procedure Ordinance / Court of Appeal Full Hearing — Sentence Revision Decision
Outcome
application allowed; original sentence varied and substituted
Legal Topics
Dangerous Driving, Obstruction of Police, Driving While Disqualified, Motor Third Party Insurance Offence, Concurrent and Consecutive Sentencing, Sentence Review Under Cap.221 S81 a
Source Language
ch
Criminal Law Sentencing Appeals Dangerous Driving Obstruction of Police Driving While Disqualified Motor Third Party Insurance Offence Concurrent and Consecutive Sentencing +1 more

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Parties

Secretary for Justice (律政司司長)

Applicant

CHAN Hing tung (陳興東)

Respondent

Procedural Posture

Criminal Sentence Review Under S81 a Criminal Procedure Ordinance / Court of Appeal Full Hearing — Sentence Revision Decision

  1. 1 Whether the sentence for dangerous driving was manifestly inadequate
  2. 2 Whether the sentence for obstructing police was manifestly inadequate
  3. 3 Whether the trial judge erred in treating distinct offences as fully absorbed into the dangerous driving sentence (concurrency error)

Ratio Decidendi

Court allowed the prosecution's review: dangerous driving benchmark set at 24 months but reduced to 16 months after plea; obstruction benchmark set at 6 months reduced to 4 months after plea; offences 3 and 4 each set at 4 months; concurrency structured so offences 1 and 2 are partially consecutive (two months consecutive), offences 3 and 4 fully concurrent with each other and fully consecutive to offences 1/2 group; applying totality and a 3‑month discretionary reduction for a sentence review yielded an aggregate custodial term of 19 months, replacing the original 10 months.

Court Disposition

application allowed; original sentence varied and substituted

Orders

  • Original aggregate sentence of 10 months quashed and substituted with 19 months imprisonment
  • Re‑sentence particulars: Count1 (dangerous driving) 16 months; Count2 (obstructing police) 4 months; Count3 (driving while disqualified) 4 months; Count4 (no third‑party insurance) 4 months