R. v. LAM KWOK HO

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL

1996, No. 252
(Criminal)

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J U D G M E N T

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Mayo, J.A. (giving the judgment of the Court):

1. The applicant seeks leave to appeal against the total of 41/2 years imprisonment imposed upon him in respect of two counts of robbery and one count of remaining in Hong Kong without permission from the Director of Immigration.

2. The circumstances of the case are all too familiar.

3. On Count 2 a young man and his lady friend were strolling in the park at 10.15pm at Yuen Long. They were approached by three men one of whom was wielding a knife. They were informed that a robbery was in progress and the young man gave the robbers a gold necklace and $100 and the young lady gave him $1,000.

4. Count 3 occurred on the following evening that was 27 November 1995. Again the victims were a young man and his lady friend. This time the offence occurred at the Yat Ming Housing Estate at Sha Tin.

5. The circumstances of the robbery were similar to those described in Count 2. This time the proceeds amounted to $500 and a gold bracelet.

6. Later that evening the applicant and two other men were stopped by some police officers who required them to produce their Identity Cards. They were unable to do so. While this interview was taking place the young man who was one of the victims on the 3rd count happened to be passing by and saw the man. He identified the applicant as one of the men who had earlier in the evening robbed him and his girl friend.

7. The applicant pleaded guilty to these offences. He was sentenced to 31/2 years on the 2nd and 3rd count which sentences were ordered to run concurrently. He was sentenced to 1 year on the 5th count which was ordered to be served consecutively.

8. In his grounds of appeal the applicant refers to his distressing family circumstances in China. These have been brought about mainly on account of poverty and illness in the family. He claimed that his motive for sneaking into Hong Kong was to earn more money so to alleviate the family situation in China. As he did not have an identity card he was unable to achieve his objectives. He claimed to have committed the offences in desperation.

9. Before us he repeated these unfortunate circumstances.

10. Although we are very sympathetic with the situation facing the applicant we cannot interfere with these sentences on account of this.

11. These sentences were in no way excessive or wrong in principle and accordingly leave is refused.