|
HCCC 400/2016
IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE
HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION
COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE
CRIMINAL CASE NO 400 OF 2016
-----------------
| |
HKSAR |
|
| |
v |
|
| |
BARRERA MARTEL Paul Silvio |
|
------------------
| Date: |
7 November 2016 at 11.02 am |
| Present: |
Ms Lilly Wong, SPP of the Department of Justice, for HKSAR |
|
Mr Leslie James Parry, instructed by Littlewoods,
assigned by DLA, for the accused |
| Offence: |
Trafficking in a dangerous drug (販運危險藥物) |
---------------------------------
Transcript of the Audio Recording
of the Sentence in the above Case
---------------------------------
COURT: The defendant was committed to this court on 9 September
this year from Eastern Magistracy for sentence pursuant to the
provisions of section 81(b) of the Magistrates Ordinance, Chapter
227, following upon his plea to a charge of trafficking in 554
grammes of cocaine.
The facts of the case are straightforward. The defendant, a 29-year-old Peruvian, arrived at Hong Kong International Airport on a flight from Doha. His journey had commenced from Lima, Peru. When he arrived in Hong Kong, he was suspected by Customs officers to have concealed within his body dangerous drugs. He was taken to North Lantau District Hospital where an examination confirmed the presence of objects in his intestines. He was then taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital where he subsequently discharged 48 packets containing the 554 grammes of cocaine.
I take a starting point of sentence of 17 years’ imprisonment. Given the international element contained within the offence, I enhance that starting point to one of 18 years’ imprisonment.
Given the early plea of the defendant which, regardless of the detailed nature of Mr Parry’s mitigation, I regard as the only mitigation of substance in this case, I reduce that final starting point of sentence to a sentence of 12 years’ imprisonment.
|