Police helping an injured pedestrian after the accident in Mong Kok in November 2017. Photo: Handout
Source:
https://scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/2186035/hong-kong-bus-driver-who-ran-over-leg-tourist-jailed-11 Law and Crime
Hong Kong bus driver who ran over leg of tourist jailed for 11 months for dangerous driving
- Liu Kam-wan’s double-decker knocked down Huang Xiaoyi in Mong Kok in November 2017. Huang’s leg later required amputation
- A remorseful Liu has since left work as a bus driver
Driver Liu has been banned from driving for two years and ordered to attend a driving improvement course by the end of that period. Photo: Fung Chang
A Hong Kong bus driver who ran his double-decker over a young mainland Chinese tourist in a traffic accident that left her without a lower leg was jailed for 11 months on Wednesday.
The District Court heard the tragic accident took place at 4.12pm on November 1, 2017 when Citybus driver Liu Kam-wan’s bus was making a left turn from Nathan Road onto Argyle Street in the busy shopping district of Mong Kok.
At the time the junction was packed with pedestrians waiting to cross Nathan Road.
Among them was Huang Xiaoyi, 18, who recalled that she had tried to back away upon seeing the bus’ quick approach but found that she had nowhere to turn as she and four others had been standing shoulder to shoulder outside the railings.
The bus first knocked down a suitcase, then Huang, and ran over her foot before it finally stopped six metres farther on at Argyle Street.
Liu immediately called the police and Huang was sent to hospital, with her right foot nearly severed.
The leg later had to be amputated below the knee.
A police investigation revealed that Liu had driven so close to the pavement that his vehicle mounted it as he was making the turn.
The 48-year-old bus driver of eight months pleaded guilty last December to one count of dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm, an offence punishable by seven years’ imprisonment.
In mitigation, his lawyer said he felt sorry and remorseful for his offence and revealed that he had since changed his occupation to become a security guard because driving buses would remind him of the accident.
Police on the scene after the incident in November 2017. Photo: Handout
But the lawyer also argued that the accident could have been avoided if Huang had not stood outside the railings.
While district judge David Dufton accepted that was possible, he concluded a deterrent sentence was still needed for the serious offence to ensure pedestrian safety.
A starting point of sentence at 18 months was adopted and discounted by one-third to credit Liu’s guilty plea, before it was further reduced by one month to account for his previous charitable work, which included an annual HK$600 donation.
Liu was also barred from driving all kinds of vehicles for the next two years and ordered to attend a driving improvement course by the end of his period of disqualification.
Huang has since acquired a prosthetic leg, which enables her to walk for 10 minutes without crutches, but not without experiencing sharp pain.