A former Police Constable was sentenced to 14 months' imprisonment at Tuen Mun Court today (Friday) for posing as a Customs and Excise (C&E) officer to deceive "bribes" from illegal oil stations and shops selling pirated or pornographic video compact disc s (VCDs).

Lai King-man, 25, now unemployed, earlier pleaded guilty to five counts of offences.

Magistrate Mr Timothy Jenkins said an immediate custodial sentence was imposed since the offences committed by the defendant were serious.

The judge added that he had taken into account the defendant's guilty plea and clear records.

The court was told that Lai had conspired with Lee Kar-wah, 32, also a former policeman, Lee Kam-ming, 32, and Choi Chung-pong, 24, both unemployed, to dishonestly obtain cash payments of about $23,000 from operators and keepers of pirated VCD shops and i llicit fuel stations between February and March this year.

Lai and other alleged imposters had falsely represented that they themselves were C&E officers and could protect their illegal business from investigation by C&E.

Lai also used a false warrant card of C&E on four occasions in March this year with the intention to induce others to accept the cards as genuine.

Lai was arrested together with Choi, Lee Kar-wah, Lee Kam-ming and another unemployed man, Chung Wai-yip, during an ICAC operation in March this year.

Choi, Lee Kar-wah and Lee Kam-ming pleaded not guilty to a total of four charges. A pre-trial review was scheduled for September 25.

Chung was sentenced by the court to nine months' jail for conspiracy to obtain property by deception in March this year.

The case arose from corruption allegations against C&E officers received by the ICAC earlier. Subsequent inquiries found no evidence showing C&E officers were involved in corruption but revealed that a group of people had allegedly plotted to con operato rs of VCD shops and illegal oil stations by pretending to be C&E officers.

The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Samson Wong.