A ROBBER was given an extra three months in jail yesterday for claiming his lawyer told him to plead guilty because the judge had a temper and wanted to catch a flight.
Mr Justice Ching said the claim was unsubstantiated and the robber's appeal against his sentence was 'hopeless'.
The appeal was dismissed and three months 'loss of time' imposed.
Chow Yue, 25, was jailed for a total of six years and three months by Judge Chua at the District Court in June this year.
He had pleaded guilty to three charges of robbery and one of remaining in Hong Kong without authority.
But he told the Court of Appeal: 'My lawyer told me the lady judge had a very bad temper. She was trying to catch a plane back to Singapore, so she wanted to have the case concluded as soon as possible.
'My lawyer pointed out to me that the judge had scolded him. He then advised me to change my plea to guilty.' But Mr Justice Ching said: 'The applications ought never to have been made. Not only were they hopeless but, in the course of addressing us, the accused saw fit to make serious and unsubstantiated allegations.' Chow had made accusations about counsel, the trial judge, and the police, he said.