After the crash, Yeung told a police officer who arrived at the scene that Wong, his wife, had been driving the car.

He said words to the effect that his wife called him immediately after she knocked down the old woman, and he rushed to the scene. Wong also confessed to Yeung's lie.

But other road users who witnessed the accident said they saw Yeung driving the car. At the time, he was subject to an order of disqualification from driving.

The court heard that on the day of the accident, Yeung was driving erratically down On Tin Street in Lam Tin. He narrowly missed hitting a traffic light at Tak Tin junction.

Later, when he drove past a safety island at Ping Tin junction, he suddenly cut into the path of a bus. The bus driver had to brake sharply in order to avoid colliding with Yeung's car.

The court heard that, before the accident occurred, the distance between Yeung's car and Chan, the deceased, was about the length of five or six vehicles.

Chan was walking at a steady pace at the time.

The court also heard that the traffic was light, the road was dry, and Yeung's car was not mechanically defective.

Prosecutor Liza Yip said the old woman would have been clearly visible to Yeung, but he did not stop the car, and eventually knocked her down.

"Any competent and careful driver would have seen her crossing the road," Yip told the court.

Yeung also refused to take a breathalyser test after police officers at the scene noticed that he reeked of alcohol.

District Judge Eddie Yip Chor-man said custodial sentencing was necessary in the case, and turned down defence lawyers' request to call for a community service order report.

Yip adjourned the case to May 30 for sentencing.