Readers respond to the six-month jail sentence for the former maid of Canto-pop star Jacky Cheung Hok-yau I cannot believe a Hong Kong magistrate pronounced a six-month sentence on a maid for a mere misdemeanour ('Star's maid jailed for six months over theft of photos, letter,' December 12). Equally unbelievable are the circumstances behind Jacky Cheung's reaction to losing some photos. As Isabel Escoda asked (Talkback, December 12), what physical danger from his maid did Cheung fear from the loss of some pictures? His ridiculous lawsuit proves he is totally irrational - and heartless. It is disgusting that Magistrate Winston Leung Wing-chung showed his bias for Cheung and even pronounced a personal opinion that the accused was probably planning to sell the pictures. Has this man forgotten the law? Since when does surmising a motive amount to hard evidence in a case? Obviously Hong Kong's rich and famous get treated with kid gloves while the rights of migrant workers are ignored in this 'world city', which professes not to practise racial discrimination. Shame on them all! Beatriz Taylor, Cheung Chau Isabel Escoda (Talkback, December 12) seems to have failed to appreciate that a theft is a theft, and that foreign domestic helpers are not immune to being prosecuted should they breach the law. Besides, according to the reports, that maid of Jacky Cheung not only pocketed photos of the singer and his wife, she also stole a business letter and tampered with Cheung's computer. In fact, Cheung was alerted to those illegal activities by another domestic helper. Theft committed by domestic helpers is not something unheard of in Hong Kong, and Cheung should be praised for bringing the issue to the fore and setting a good example of what a law-abiding citizen should do in the circumstances. Sweeping everything under the carpet would merely encourage people to pursue such criminal acts because they could get away with them so easily. As regards Ms Escoda's mean swipe at Cheung's 'flagging career', she probably is ignorant of the fact that the singer was one of the major guest performers to open the Asian Games in Doha just a few days ago. Jennifer Wong, Kowloon Tong Of course I have 'an axe to grind', as Norman Wingrove puts it (Talkback, December 13). It has to do with the fact that the marginalised members of Hong Kong's society cannot get proportionate justice when a magistrate like Winston Leung displays an obvious bias towards pop star Jacky Cheung, basing his verdict on his implied accusation, for one, that Preslyn-saga Catacutan may have planned to sell the purloined photos. My 'tenuous grasp of the law' includes thinking that suppositions are not hard evidence, hence inadmissible in court. My complaint is also aimed at the total lack of compassion displayed by both the magistrate and Cheung, who seems to have been basking in all the publicity, apparently not minding what Mr Wingrove says is 'an invasion of his personal privacy'. The totally disproportionate reaction to the actual crime (which more fair-minded individuals would consider a misdemeanour) has resulted in the excessively harsh sentence, presumably passed to teach migrant workers in Hong Kong a lesson - one that has little to do with justice but is more about the racial and class prejudices endemic to Hong Kong. Isabel Escoda, Mui Wo I totally disagree with Norman Wingrove's response (Talkback, December 13) to Isabel Escoda's letter regarding the prosecution of Filipino maid Preslyn-saga Catacutan. No one is disputing that she stole a couple of photos and a letter. Yes, it involved a breach of trust. But for goodness sake, let's not lose perspective - we're talking about a couple of photographs and a letter. Get over it - take another photo, write another letter. By all means fire the domestic helper but don't take it to court? To the magistrate, Jacky Cheung's action in bringing this matter before the court was 'courageous'. To me they speak of an exaggerated sense of his own importance and seem to show a pettiness and meanness of spirit that simply defies words. The six-month custodial sentence imposed on this young woman, I believe, is just another example of the cultural arrogance and racism exhibited by this city towards domestic helpers. Alan Jefferies, Central I note the sentence of six months on the maid who stole a few things from a famous singer. From what you wrote, there was no evidence to support the magistrate's assertion that he believed she was going to sell them. The only aggravating factor appears to be the breach of trust. For a silly girl from a poor background, who will be deported back to the Philippines, six months seems excessive. In my view the magistrate was star-struck. He says he needed to impose a deterrent sentence. If it was a deterrent to all helpers for stealing from their employers, I can see some point to it. But as I read it, it was a deterrent to people stealing from the rich and famous. I can't see why that deserves a deterrent sentence. If my helper stole a few bits and pieces from me and she had a clear record, I doubt she would get such a heavy sentence. Why is it courageous for a 'personality' to give evidence in court? The legal system in Hong Kong is full of examples of the rich and famous getting preferential treatment, and this case seems to confirm that yet again. Let's kick the little Filipino when she is down. She can't fight back after all. C. Tarrant, Shouson Hill
