Fang first approached Regal Airport Hotel receptionist Wong Kam-chiu in mid-January last year, the court heard.

He had asked Wong to steal some of the registration forms.

At first, Wong refused, but a week later, Fang telephoned him again, promising him an unspecified reward in exchange for the forms.

The next day, Wong left work with several dozen registration forms. A few days later, he met Fang in the hotel car park and turned over the forms. About 100 more forms were passed along later, prosecutor Peter Cosgrove said.

The activities were brought to an end on March 17, when officers of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) arrested Fang.

Fang then decided to help the officers capture Fong, on whose behalf he had been acting.

Fang - equipped with a hidden tape recorder - spoke to Fong at a restaurant on March 25.

Fong was then arrested, and his home searched.

The court heard that a dozen registration forms were found, along with computer information printouts on the hotel guests.

Wong, who was convicted last May of accepting an advantage, appeared as the key witness at Fang and Fong's trial.

Terence Wai, Fang's defence counsel, said Fang had been ''most vulnerable'' to corruption when he was approached, as his business had failed, leaving him heavily indebted to a bank.

Mr Wai also said no money had actually changed hands.

Fong's defence counsel, Susana Remedios, told the court Fong had been unemployed for more than two months before committing the crime.

She said ICAC officers found the registration forms in Fong's home because ''he had decided not to bother to pass those along''.

Deputy Judge Davies said that the sentences reflected Fong's closer links with a syndicate.