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Convictions quashed

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THREE young men found guilty of raping a 15-year-old prostitute were freed yesterday when the Court of Appeal ruled that their convictions were unsafe and unsatisfactory.

The Chief Justice, Sir Ti Liang Yang, supported the convictions, but Vice-President Mr Justice Macdougall and Mr Justice Barnett opposed.

They said that in the course of his summing-up, the trial judge expressed an opinion based on hearsay evidence, which was inadmissible.

They quashed the convictions and set aside the nine-year jail term imposed on Yuen King-lok and the eight-year terms on Lee Chi-wai and Leung Yiu-wa.

Mr Yuen, 19, Mr Lee, 22, and Mr Leung, 24, were found guilty of rape in June last year by Deputy Judge Sharwood.

The Crown alleged Mr Yuen pimped for the girl.

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