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Coronavirus: Hong Kong bar manager gets two months in jail for flouting social-distancing laws by keeping venue open

  • Clifford Chan, 36, was found running unlicensed liquor premises at an industrial building in Tuen Mun after midnight on Sunday
  • His employees Pang Wai-kit and Fok Ho-pan were given two weeks for selling liquor without a licence, but their sentences were suspended for a year

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The Fanling Law Courts Building in Fanling. Photo: Winson Wong
A Hong Kong bar manager who flouted a government order to close the venue for 14 days was on Tuesday jailed for two months, the heaviest sentence imposed by a court since the ban was introduced to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
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Fanling Court heard Clifford Chan, 36, managed an unlicensed liquor premises at an industrial building in Tuen Mun despite the government restrictions as he needed money urgently.

He hired two employees – Pang Wai-kit, 24, and Fok Ho-pan, 33 – for HK$50 (US$6.5) per hour and was found to be serving 18 customers at the 1,000 sq ft bar when police raided the premises shortly after midnight on Sunday.

Officers seized 301 cans of beer, 81 cups, 15 ice buckets, 17 dice cups and 85 dice during the operation.

The three men pleaded guilty to one joint count of selling liquor without a licence.

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Chan further pleaded guilty to one count of possession of liquor for sale without a licence and another of being responsible for carrying on a catering business failing to comply with the directions of the secretary for food and health.

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