A restaurant worker, who impersonated a Detective Police Sergeant to swindle about $380,000 from a woman, was sentenced to six months' imprisonment at Shatin Magistracy today (Tuesday).

Leung Yiu-pong, 34, earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud.

In sentencing, Magistrate Ms Bernadette Woo said a jail sentence was the only penalty she considered, as the premeditated fraud had caused the victim to borrow loans from financial institutions, resulting in her bankruptcy.

The case was uncovered during an ICAC inquiry into a corruption complaint.

The court heard that the defendant, with intent to defraud, had induced a woman to lend him $389,500 in total between January and August 2001.

The defendant had falsely represented to the woman that he was a serving police officer, and that he needed money to pay for his relative's eye surgery and for investment in restaurant business in Guangzhou on the Mainland.

In order to lend the defendant money, the woman obtained loans and made cash advances from various financial institutions.

The defendant did not make any repayment to the woman. As a result of the debts, the woman was formally declared bankrupt in January 2002.

The woman was required to make a monthly repayment to the Official Receiver's Office for four years.

The prosecution was today represented by Government Counsel Gary Lam, assisted by ICAC officer Andy Chan.