26 Aug 2004
The appeal was dismissed because the Magistrate accepted the sole prosecution witness and rejected the appellant's evidence, and on that accepted evidence the conviction was inevitable.
2 Mar 1999
The Magistrate lawfully exercised sentencing discretion by adopting a 12‑month starting point and applying a 25% reduction for a late guilty plea, resulting in nine months' imprisonment; the sentence was not wrong in principle or excessive and the appeal is dismissed.
17 Jun 1997
The magistrate's credibility findings were entitled to deference and the evidence proved the offence beyond reasonable doubt; the sentencing judge applied the correct tariff, properly reduced the sentence by 25% for a late plea in light of the appellant's extensive record and risk, and the resulting 9 months' imprisonment was not manifestly excessive; both appeals are dismissed.
1 Oct 1982
The magistrate's partially suspended sentence was unlawful because Hong Kong law does not permit suspension of only part of a sentence; the lawful course was to quash the sentence and substitute a lawful sentence — here two years' imprisonment wholly suspended for two years on condition the appellant seeks voluntary treatment or enters a methadone maintenance programme.