Appearing in front of deputy magistrate Dixon Co Yau-tik at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on Wednesday, Liu Pong-hei pleaded guilty to all six counts of causing wasteful employment of police, and was eventually sentenced to 16 weeks behind bars, and a HK$100,000 compensation for the government.

This came after police officers received about 635 false reports from the 999 report hotline between August and December last year, in which the caller said that there were people fighting and being injured at six locations in the Sham Shui Po and Cheung Sha Wan districts.

Upon arriving at the scene, officers found that no relevant incidents had happened. The case was then passed to the Sham Shui Po district's crime squad for follow-up.

The force then arrested a 26-year-old man in December last year after an in-depth investigation, and later charged him with six counts of causing wasteful employment of police.

Officers reminded members of the public not to falsely report cases as it would affect the force’s efficiency in handling emergencies which might lead to those in need failing to get the proper service.

According to Cap. 221 Criminal Procedure Ordinance, anyone who causes any wasteful employment of the police by knowingly making a false report may be subject to a maximum of HK$2,000 fine and six-month imprisonment.