Two underachieving former students at elite school Queen's College who robbed a 60-year-old herbalist were told by a judge yesterday that they must face up to life's difficulties.
'It's not all over. You need courage to admit your wrongdoings,' Deputy District Court Judge Ada Yim Shun-yee told the 16-year-olds as she sentenced Mak Chi-ho to disciplinary training and Chan Pak-kit to 240 hours' community service.
The court heard earlier that Mak had robbed the herbalist at his Mongkok clinic on January 14 with chloroform and a cutter while Chan stood guard downstairs.
On August 9 they pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob, the day Mak learned he had obtained a poor 11 points in the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE), while Chan scored just one point.
Judge Yim said she did not consider sending the two teenagers to jail as rehabilitation was important.
'On the day you receive the HKCEE results, you should know a good result is obtained through hard work, not by luck. I hope you learn from the experience,' she told the teenagers.
'From now on, live an honorable life. I hope when I next see you in a court room, you'll not be appearing before me as defendants.'
