'Long Hair' denied bail for appeal to top court

Lawmaker "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung will not be allowed out of prison to continue a Legislative Council filibuster after the top court refused him bail pending another appeal yesterday.

Leung's solicitor Jonathan Man said Leung was disappointed he would not be able to attend Legco's Financial Committee, on which he is spearheading an attempt to delay a government funding request for work on new towns in the New Territories.

He said Leung had asked the commissioner of correctional services to arrange for him to attend the meeting. "I think the commissioner should exercise his discretion … but we are still waiting for the reply," Man said.

Leung is appealing to the Court of Final Appeal after a High Court judge upheld his convictions on one count of disorderly behaviour and two of criminal damage last month. The charges relate to a public forum in 2011.

Seeking bail yesterday, barrister Martin Lee Chu-ming SC, for Leung, said Leung had grounds to argue against the disorderly behaviour charge.