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SCMP Reporter

FOUR men were found guilty in the District Court yesterday of extorting protection money from four street prostitutes.

 One of the men had also claimed to be a triad.

  Painter Chan Wai-kuen, 24, decorator Tsui Hon-kei, 35, hair salon worker Kwok Ma-shing and waiter Tsang Tak-wah, both 34, were convicted on a joint count of blackmail following a 16-day trial.

  Named as victims were prostitutes Ho Heung-kwan, 42, Yuen Oi-ling, 46, Cheung Sau-lin, 30, and Ip Ming-chu, 34.

  Chan was also found guilty of two counts of blackmail, two counts of claiming to be a member of a triad society and a count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

  Tsui was convicted on a count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

  The defendants had pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

  Deputy Judge Morley heard that the offences occurred in November last year.

  Prosecutor Chu Tak said a male nicknamed Hak Chai Keung (later identified as Chan) approached Ms Ho and Ms Yuen on November 12, when the two women were waiting for customers on the ground floor of a Shamshuipo villa.

  Chan claimed to be a member of the Sun Yee On triad society and told the women that they would be chopped unless they paid him $40 a day as protection money, the Crown alleged.

  The prosecution said Chan made a similar threat to the women two days later and extended his extortion to Ms Cheung and Ms Ip on November 16 last year.

 The court heard Ms Ho was assaulted by four men, including Chan, on November 21.

  Two days later, Tsui telephoned Ms Cheung and asked her to go to a restaurant in Castle Peak Road.

  Ms Ho went to the restaurant with Ms Cheung where they met Chan, Tsui and two other males (later identified as Kwok and Tsang).

   They were asked to raise a further sum of $15,000 for protection.

  Ms Ip was also beaten up by six or seven men, including Tsui, two days later, the court heard.

  Deputy Judge Morley adjourned sentencing until December 10.



Prostitute extortion racket