Reduction in sentence

A WOMAN who sneaked into Hong Kong to see her mother, but ended up in jail when her mother became ill and she helped her out, yesterday won a reduction in her jail term.

Lau Sheung-nui, 41, said that after she got $2,000 from her mother she intended to return to China, but her mother fell ill. Lau took her place as a restaurant worker and was arrested.

Mr Justice Keith said in the High Court that Lau would have been repatriated if it was not for the fact that her mother was ill.

Lau had admitted remaining unlawfully in Hong Kong on September 20 last year. She was sentenced to 15 months' jail by North Kowloon Court. Mr Justice Keith cut it to nine months.