Mother who stole to pay sons' school fees is spared jail

A mother who stole $3,000 to pay her two sons' private school fees was spared jail by a judge yesterday and told to put the past behind her in the year ahead.

District Court Judge Chua Fi-lan accepted that Lam Kam-yu, 33, was a caring and responsible mother who was 'deeply and genuinely remorseful' for what she had done. Lam had pleaded guilty to a charge of burglary involving one of her friends.

'Tomorrow is a new year. Put your mistake behind you,' Judge Chua told Lam yesterday after handing her 180 hours of community service. She also suggested Lam give her victim a letter of apology and a bunch of roses.

The court heard the defendant lived with her three sons - aged between six and eight - and her husband and mother-in-law in Nam Shan Estate, Shekkipmei. They were living on Lam's husband's $8,000 salary as a construction worker. But in September, Lam was unable to pay her two older sons' school fees after his salary was delayed.

Prosecutor Janice Kwan said that on September 6, Lam went to visit her friend, Hui Fung-ying, in a nearby housing estate. When she found the door unlocked, Lam sneaked in and stole $3,000 from a cloth bag which contained a total of $23,000. The next day, after Lam's husband received his salary, Lam went back to Ms Hui's flat and put $3,000 in the same bag. But also on that day, Ms Hui had called police after being told by a neighbour that Lam had been to her flat. Lam was arrested on September 8.

In sentencing Lam, Judge Chua said she was impressed by Lam's determination to support her children's education.