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Ex-constable jailed for HK$90,000 scams

Austin Chiu

A debt-ridden former police constable was jailed for three years and two months yesterday for conning more than HK$90,000 from one suspect and the wife of another. He told them the sums were bail money and settlement payments.

Lau, 33, who had been a constable for 10 years and once had his performance graded as excellent, had earlier pleaded guilty in the District Court to 16 counts of fraud, one of accepting an advantage as an officer and one of perverting justice.

He admitted he had conned the victims because he accumulated more than HK$400,000 in debts after betting on soccer matches and was now bankrupt, the court heard.

Passing sentence, Deputy Judge Gary Lam Kar-yan said: 'As a law enforcer, the defendant abused his power, took advantage of the victims' ignorance and broke the law intentionally. His acts were despicable.'

The judge said Lau had brought shame on the police force.

The court heard that Lau conned a total of HK$93,410 from a 24-year-old man accused of molesting a domestic helper, and the wife of a man charged with criminal intimidation.

Lau was arrested after the woman made a report to the ICAC complaining that Lau did not return 'bail money' after her husband was released. The commission found Lau had swindled the second victim.

The court heard that on April 1, 2008 Lau asked Chan Wai-ngor to hand over HK$5,000 bail money for the release of her husband.

Chan complied and handed over the money, but her husband was not released next day and was charged. Lau promised to return the money.

Chan's husband walked free after trial five months later but Lau did not repay the money despite Chan's repeated attempts. Lau later changed his telephone number.

With the assistance of the ICAC, the woman twice met Lau on a bus asking for the money. Lau refused to talk, saying he was aware that the woman had made a report to the ICAC.

In the other case, on June 2, 2008, Lau demanded HK$8,000 bail money from Fung Kam-ming, 24, who was accused of indecently assaulting an Indonesian maid.

Fung had never been arrested or charged and the maid was later jailed for two months for misleading police. But Lau kept Fung in the dark about the maid's conviction and confirmation of his innocence. He demanded additional bail money from the man, saying the crime was very serious. Lau later dishonestly took HK$42,000 from him, saying it had been demanded by the maid as settlement of the case. But the maid had been deported to Indonesia and had never asked for the money.

In October that year, Lau also borrowed HK$3,000 saying he was short of cash to prepare for his wedding and later borrowed extra money, saying his funds had been frozen by the ICAC. In total, Lau conned HK$88,410 out of Fung.

Lau later pleaded with Fung not to give evidence against him. However, Fung recorded the conversation.

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