Press release: Hefty fines for unlicensed anglers

Two men have been handed hefty court fines for fishing illegally in separate offences at Manor Farm Lakes Northill, Bedford.

They were caught in May last year fishing without a rod licence during targeted patrols by Environment Agency fisheries enforcement officers.

Jay John Whitbread, 22, of Church Lane, Bedford, was caught fishing without a licence at the same location on 2 separate occasions and both cases were heard together at court. He was fined £657, and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £30 and £127 costs. A total of £814.

Liam Knight, 27, of Westmill Lane, Hitchin, was also caught fishing without a licence. He was fined £293, and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £30 and £127 costs. A total of £450.
The defendants both pleaded guilty to Luton Magistrates Court on 6 March 2018.

After the hearing Environment Agency officer Kye Jerrom said:

It’s a crime to fish without a valid licence and offenders could be fined up to £2,500, have their fishing equipment seized and be banned from fishing. Our enforcement officers inspect rod licences throughout East Anglia and could turn up at any time.

All income from rod licence sales is invested directly back into maintaining and improving fisheries. Those who fish without a rod licence are having a direct effect on that work and are selling other anglers short. At £30 for a 2 rod coarse and non-migratory trout license, or £82 to also fish for salmon and sea trout, and short term options available too, the rod licence is great value for money”.

Anglers are being reminded that fishing for coarse fish in rivers is off limits until 16 June and anyone caught can expect to be prosecuted and face a fine. The 3-month break began 15 March and ends 15 June.

Close Season

The close season on rivers is important to maintain healthy fish stocks, as it allows fish time to breed as well as giving other waterside wildlife the same break. During this time fisheries enforcement officers will be carrying out regular patrols of rivers with partners under OPERATION CLAMPDOWN.

OPERATION CLAMPDOWN is a joint Environment Agency, Police and Angling Trust – Voluntary Bailiff Service enforcement strategy run throughout the closed season. It ensures reactive and planned enforcement activity prevents illegal fishing on lakes, rivers, ponds and canals where coarse fishing is allowed. Officers will be ensuring all anglers have a valid rod licence, and they will also be on the look-out for those using illegal baits, banned methods of fishing and fishing in prohibited areas.

Buying a rod licence is quick and easy – either online at www.gov.uk – the only site you need, or from the Post Office.

The Environment Agency urges anyone to report illegal fishing by calling 0800 80 70 60.

Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected counterfeit health food and arrests two persons (with photos)

Hong Kong Customs yesterday (March 27) conducted an operation to combat the sale of counterfeit health food. In the operation, 102 boxes of suspected counterfeit health product drink and 54 items of skin care products with a total estimated market value of about $12,000 were seized.

Upon receiving information from a trademark owner alleging the sale of suspected counterfeit health product drink at retail shops, Customs conducted investigation promptly. After investigation, Customs took enforcement actions yesterday and seized 102 boxes of suspected counterfeit health product drink with an estimated market value of about $7,000 from two retail shops in North District. Two men were arrested, including a 50-year-old shop owner and a 29-year-old salesperson. They have been released on bail pending further investigation. Investigation is ongoing.

Furthermore, Customs also seized 54 suspected counterfeit skin care products with an estimated market value of about $5,000 in one of the shops.

Printing of some words and diagrams on the box of the counterfeit health product drink are unclear when compared to the genuine goods. Also, the printing on the silvery coating covering the QR code security label is different from that of the genuine one. Moreover, the opening cut on the sachet of counterfeit product is placed at the bottom right when it is viewed from the front whereas for the genuine product, the opening cut on the sachet is placed at the bottom left when it is viewed from the front.

Customs appeals to consumers to procure items at reputable shops and to check with the trademark owners or their authorised agents if the authenticity of a product is in doubt.

Customs also reminds traders to be cautious and prudent in merchandising since the sale of counterfeit goods is a serious crime and offenders are liable to criminal sanctions.

     Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, any person who sells or possesses for sale any goods with a forged trademark commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
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     Members of the public may report any suspected infringing activities to the Customs 24-hour hotline 2545 6182.

Press release: Former private school teacher jailed for longer for sexual abuse

A former private boarding school teacher who sexually abused 4 of his pupils has had his sentence increased after the Solicitor General, Robert Buckland QC MP, appealed it for being too low.

Peter Burr, now aged 73, indecently assaulted the boys aged between 11 and 14 at Christ’s Hospital School in West Sussex between 1969 and 1973.

The pupils at the school were largely vulnerable young boys from disadvantaged backgrounds or had gained a place at the school following the death of a family member and had been separated from their families.

Burr pleaded guilty to 9 counts of indecently assaulting the boys and was originally sentenced to 4 years imprisonment. The Court of Appeal has today increased his sentence to 6 years 7 months in prison.

Speaking after the hearing, the Solicitor General said:

Burr betrayed his position of trust in the most despicable way possible.

I am pleased the Court of Appeal has increased the sentence. I trust this sends a clear message that justice will be served no matter how long ago the offences took place. I hope this helps the victims to get some closure.

Hong Kong film director Ann Hui presents major work in Berlin (with photo)

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Berlin (HKETO Berlin) supported the screening of renowned Hong Kong film director Ann Hui’s The Romance of Book and Sword in Arsenal Cinema in Berlin, Germany, on March 24 (Berlin time).

The Romance of Book and Sword is a 1987 two-part historical epic with stunning landscape images and spectacular fighting scenes. Ann Hui, a key New Wave filmmaker and one of the leading figures of Hong Kong cinema, attended in person to give an introduction and offer insightful comments and answers to questions for the about 100 viewers after the screening.

Preceding the screening, the Director of HKETO Berlin, Ms Betty Ho, spoke to the audience highlighted new opportunities in the Hong Kong movie and creative industries. “Hong Kong, despite its very small size, hosts one of the largest and most dynamic film entertainment industries in the world, and has produced many outstanding movies, as well as film talents and professionals who have made their names known to the world.”

The Romance of Book and Sword closed a film series that introduced Hong Kong’s multifaceted cinema to the Berlin audience in March, presenting films from archives all over the world in their original 35-millimetre format. The programme included brilliant works of several acclaimed players in Hong Kong’s film industry, such as Tsui Hark, Mabel Cheung and Johnny Mak. The 28 selected films depicted the diversity, versatility and dynamism of Hong Kong and its local films. Each of them has a distinctive angle, subject or genre ranging from secret societies to melodrama, and together they showed why the city is a gem in the international film entertainment industry.

To promote the achievements of Hong Kong’s film industry, HKETO Berlin will continue and extend collaborations with several leading central and eastern European film festivals to bring to the screen the new generation of distinguished Hong Kong movies.

About HKETO Berlin

HKETO Berlin is the official Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government representative in commercial relations and other economic and trade matters in Germany as well as Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Switzerland.

CE meets Governor of Guangdong Province (with photos)

The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, hosted a breakfast meeting with the Governor of Guangdong Province, Mr Ma Xingrui, at Government House this morning (March 28) to exchange views on the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area and co-operation between Hong Kong and Guangdong.

Mrs Lam welcomed Mr Ma’s visit to Hong Kong with his delegation. She said that Hong Kong and Guangdong have all along had close ties and co-operation and that this is the fifth time she has met Mr Ma to discuss ways to deepen co-operation between Hong Kong and Guangdong since she assumed office on July 1 last year.

Noting that ties between the two places will be more convenient with the forthcoming promulgation and implementation of the development plan for the Bay Area and the commissioning of three cross-boundary infrastructure projects in the coming 12 months, she expressed the hope that Hong Kong and Guangdong will continue to explore further exchanges and collaboration in various aspects including city management, healthcare, education and innovation and technology.

Thanking the Guangdong Provincial Government for making arrangements for her upcoming visit to Shenzhen, Zhongshan and Zhuhai, and the visit by Legislative Council members to five cities in the Bay Area next month, she said she believes that these visits will deepen the understanding of the Bay Area’s latest situation and future development by various sectors in Hong Kong. Mrs Lam said the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government will actively promote the opportunities brought about by the Bay Area’s development to the business community, professionals and members of the public in Hong Kong, and added that the HKSAR Government will also invite the Guangdong Provincial Government to jointly organise promotional activities overseas to publicise the combined advantages and tremendous business opportunities of the Bay Area to attract foreign investment and talent.