TWO armed robbers who threatened two children with knives before taking their uncle hostage were yesterday jailed for seven years. A third man involved in the December 18 incident last year was shot dead by police. Chung Hsiao-yuan, 30, was grabbed outside his home in Sha Tau Kok, the High Court heard. Labourers Lau Tung-sang, 26, and Suen Cho-yan, 21, held knives to both sides of Mr Chung's neck and demanded to be let into the house. Prosecutor Catherine Fung said Lau, Suen and accomplice Lee Chi-yung, 25, took jewellery and other valuables worth $16,000. As they threatened the family with knives, Mr Chung's three-year-old nephew and five-year-old niece started crying. The children's mother, Fan Siu-ping, 30, begged to take them upstairs. The trio followed Mrs Fan and the children upstairs. When the police arrived on the scene, the three robbers left by the back door - Suen armed with a chopper and Lee holding a knife to Mr Chung's neck. When officers feared Lee was about to chop Mr Chung, Chief Inspector John Fuller and a colleague fired five shots, killing the man with the knife and injuring Suen. Defence counsel Michael Ko said Lau and Suen were poor and were tempted to make quick money. Lau and Suen were jailed for seven years by Deputy Judge Pang after pleading guilty to robbery. Suen admitted a second charge of false imprisonment and was jailed for 15 months to run concurrently.
