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Autistic teen who prank-calls judge gets probation
An autistic teenager was on Monday sentenced to 14 days’imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, for prank-calling a judge and his wife eight times in December two years ago.
Chan Po-hong, 19, previously pleaded guilty to contempt of court, after he allegedly violated an interim court injunction banning the doxxing and harassing of judicial officers and their families.
He was said to have obtained the telephone numbers online and made eight silent calls to the judge and his wife on December 6, 2020.
His conviction is also the first in the territory in relation to the injunction imposed in October 2020.
Passing sentence, High Court judge Russell Coleman noted that Chan had told police investigators under caution that he committed the acts thinking it was fun, and was dissatisfied with the judge being “pro-government”.
The judge said the court will not tolerate doxxing acts against judicial officers and their families, but given Chan’s sincere remorse and his case being dragged on for almost two years, he had decided to hand down such a sentence.
A police spokesman said they welcomed the court ruling, which could have a deterrent effect.
The spokesman added that Chan had also been charged for making persistent telephone calls, an offence under the Summary Offences Ordinance and punishable by a fine of HK$1,000 and imprisonment for two months. Chan will be brought to court again on November 18.
He was said to have obtained the telephone numbers online and made eight silent calls to the judge and his wife on December 6, 2020.
His conviction is also the first in the territory in relation to the injunction imposed in October 2020.
Passing sentence, High Court judge Russell Coleman noted that Chan had told police investigators under caution that he committed the acts thinking it was fun, and was dissatisfied with the judge being “pro-government”.
The judge said the court will not tolerate doxxing acts against judicial officers and their families, but given Chan’s sincere remorse and his case being dragged on for almost two years, he had decided to hand down such a sentence.
A police spokesman said they welcomed the court ruling, which could have a deterrent effect.
The spokesman added that Chan had also been charged for making persistent telephone calls, an offence under the Summary Offences Ordinance and punishable by a fine of HK$1,000 and imprisonment for two months. Chan will be brought to court again on November 18.
