A MAN yesterday successfully appealed to a High Court judge to change his jail term to a suspended sentence because he was giving assistance to the police.
Ng Tung-kin, 29, had pleaded guilty to two charges of possession of dutiable goods, a total of 688,400 cigarettes, and two charges of possession, for the purpose of sale, cigarette packets which did not carry health warnings and the tar designation.
San Po Kong Magistrate Anthony To fined Ng $30,000 and sentenced him to six months' imprisonment on December 29.
Mr Justice Jones yesterday accepted it was desirable for Ng to continue helping the police in relation to offences of a similar nature in exchange for receiving a suspended sentence. He granted the appeal and suspended the six-month sentence for two years.
The court heard Ng had spent 21 days in prison until he was granted bail on January 5.