Two men were sentenced to immediate imprisonment today (July 16) at West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts for assaulting Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) officers earlier.
The first defendant was charged six charges including two counts of common assault, obstructing or using abusive language to public officers in the execution of duty, obstruction of a public place, hawking without a licence and selling restricted food without permission in writing. He was sentenced to 21 days' immediate imprisonment for the first two charges which run concurrently, and was also fined $500 to $1,000 for the remaining four charges. The second defendant was charged with common assault and was sentenced to 14 days' immediate imprisonment.
The court heard that FEHD officers were attacked by the above two defendants during a blitz operation against unlicensed hawkers and shop front extension causing obstruction at the vicinity of Nelson Street and Tong Mi Road in Mong Kok on January 30 this year. In another similar operation on March 25, FEHD officers were again attacked by the first defendant.
"To use force against law enforcement officers is inappropriate and also carries legal consequences. Members of the public should co-operate with public officers in execution of their duties," an FEHD spokesman said.
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