Villager collapses in court after appeal fails
A villager who suffered a heart attack when a magistrate sentenced him to a year's jail for clashing with police during the eviction of Sheung Shui villages collapsed again yesterday when a judge dismissed his appeal.
Sze Cho-wing, 45, was convicted of obstructing police and possessing a weapon by magistrate Lam Kui-po in Fanling Court in June last year.
The father of three was one of six people arrested during the November 1999 clashes sparked when police were called in to evict residents from Shek Wu San Tsuen. Fourteen people were injured in the clashes.
Sze yesterday appeared before Mr Justice Pang Kin-kee in the Court of First Instance for an appeal against his conviction and sentence.
His defence counsel, Mary Sin, said the appeal was based on 10 grounds, but his main argument was that he resisted police because he wanted to protect his home. She also said he had no weapons and his resistance was minimal.
In delivering his verdict, Mr Justice Pang said he agreed with the magistrate's findings that the video tape showed the incident in a different light.
The policeman would have been seriously hurt if he had not been wearing a shield during a 'very long' two-minute attack at the hands of Sze, who used a sharp-ended water pipe, he said.
Mr Justice Pang criticised the grounds of Sze's appeal. 'At that time the Government had already promised to give him a house but for his own selfish benefit he declined to leave. The law of Hong Kong is to protect the policemen who are carrying out their duties.'
After Mr Justice Pang rejected the appeal, Sze's family broke down in tears as he collapsed on the floor of the dock. Two guards helped Sze up, put him back in handcuffs and led him away.
