Bank teller jailed for stealing HK$1.2m to get married
A former DBS Bank teller was jailed for 22 months yesterday after admitting stealing more than HK$1.2 million from 13 clients' accounts.
The District Court heard that Ng Wing-fai, 34, took the money to gamble, to raise cash to get married. He had earlier pleaded guilty to one defraud count, two counts of theft and three of false accounting.
Ng admitted taking cash deposits amounting to HK$1,269,515 from 21 accounts for his own use between October 2005 and January last year. To cover his tracks, he put back some of the money so the amount he eventually pocketed was about HK$700,000.
The court earlier heard that Ng would give receipts to clients when they deposited money, then claim the deposits were made in error and seek his supervisor's permission to cancel the transactions. He would then pocket the money.
He had lost money on soccer and horse gambling, which he hoped to recoup by taking money from clients' bank accounts.
In mitigation, defence barrister Oliver Davies said Ng had worked at the Cheung Chau branch of DBS Bank for 10 years, receiving a best customer service award in 2000. He had committed the offence out of love for his former fiancee.
The court was told that even though he earned only HK$12,000 a month, Ng would try to fulfil all her wishes, including two extravagant wedding banquets, and buying her expensive gifts from time to time.
But the defence barrister said soon after the case came to light, his fiancee left him, taking all his possessions and his house, and leaving him with only a photo album.
Passing sentence, Deputy District Judge Garry Tallentire noted Ng committed the offence out of love, but this could not be accepted as an excuse. He said Ng had committed a serious breach of trust, and evidence showed his acts were deliberate and substantial.
But having considered Ng's positive background report, his full co-operation with the police, that about HK$570,000 had been repaid and his guilty plea, the judge gave Ng a one-third reduction off his sentence.
A concurrent order was given for all the six charges.
