Cellphone 'gift' from God doesn't ring true

The man known as 'Central's Sammo Hung Kam-po' was convicted of theft yesterday - in his second court hearing of the morning - after he retracted his statement that a mobile phone he stole had been given to him by God.

Christopher Tsang Chi-ping, a street sleeper who earned his nickname because he looks like portly kung fu actor Sammo Hung, is a regular heckler at political forums and press conferences.

The 48-year-old pleaded guilty in Eastern Court to stealing the phone in Victoria Park this month. But when Magistrate David Thomas asked whether Tsang knew the phone belonged to somebody else, he told a different story.

'I thought it was given by God,' Tsang said. 'I thought I was very lucky somebody left the phone on the ground for me to see a psychiatric doctor. But I was caught.

'I had no intention to steal but I did take the phone. I want to admit [my guilt] and ask for leniency.'

The magistrate rejected Tsang's plea of guilty and referred him to Principal Magistrate Ian Candy, in another courtroom upstairs, to set a date for trial. Mr Candy, though, elected to proceed immediately to a trial.