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HK govt seeks review of sentence for popstar Tse
2002-10-22
HONG KONG - Hong Kong's Justice Department has asked a judge to review a community service sentence handed down to convicted Cantopop star Nicholas Tse, saying it was not tough enough.The application comes after lawyers, social workers and lawmakers criticised what they said was lenient punishment for Tse, who was sentenced last week to 240 hours of community service for perverting the course of justice. Tse was convicted of allowing his chauffeur to take the blame for crashing his Ferrari in March, when the singer had actually been behind the wheel. Policeman Lau Chi-wai, 28, who handled the crash report and was convicted of the same charge as Tse, was jailed for six months. A spokeswoman for the Department of Justice said on Tuesday the government believed both sentences were too light. "The Justice Secretary has applied for a review of the sentences. The sentences imposed on both defendents were wrong in principle and/or manifestly inadequate," she said. The review application was made on Monday to the same magistrate who sentenced both men last Wednesday. It was not known when the magistrate would make a decision. If he sticks by his original sentences, the department would consider applying for a review with a higher court, the spokeswoman added. Fans cheered when the dashing 22-year-old singer was spared jail, but some community leaders have asked if such a sentence would send the wrong signal to impressionable teenagers. Magistrate Allan James Wyeth said he did not send Tse to jail because of his age and clear record, adding he had already spent 14 days in remand. Both Tse and Lau had pleaded not guilty. In May, Tse's driver Shing was sentenced to four months in jail after pleading guilty to falsely claiming he had been driving the Ferrari at the time of the crash. (Reuters)
HK government urges jail for popstar Tse (2002-11-10)Hong Kong pop star Tse fined, suspended from driving (2002-10-31)HK govt seeks review of sentence for popstar Tse (2002-10-22)Hong Kong court convicts popstar Tse and cop (2002-10-02)HK pop star's driver jailed for lying in crash (2002-05-08)
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