A GANG leader who received 17 life imprisonment terms for masterminding a series of violent armed robberies has lost his appeal against sentence.
One man died and another was left a paraplegic in the robberies, which netted Ho Tung-shing and his gang more than $124 million worth of goods.
To deal with Ho in any other way would be failing the court's duty to protect the public, the Court of Appeal held.
The court, comprising Mr Justice Litton, Mr Justice Bokhary and Mr Justice Barnett, said Ho's three accomplices - former policeman Tsang Chi-fung, 32, Tang Yuk-tong, 32, and Lee Chun-man, 27 - had been given inadequate discounts. Their 22-year jail terms were reduced to 18 years.
Ho, 37, had admitted a total of 23 charges including 16 robberies, three attempted robberies, shooting with intent to resist arrest, and possession of arms and ammunition without a licence.
He denied murder and was found guilty of manslaughter by a High Court jury after a trial before Mr Justice Leong.
