Reporter jailed for offering bribes to ex-security guard for unauthorized access to film shooting site
2003-8-25
A reporter was today (Monday) sentenced to three months' imprisonment at Western Magistracy for offering bribes to a former security guard for unauthorized access to a location-shooting site of a film company.
Alven Leung Shun-key, 29, reporter of Sudden Weekly Limited, today pleaded guilty to three counts of offering advantage to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
The court also ordered that the negatives and photographs of the shooting site seized from the defendant be confiscated.
In sentencing, Magistrate Mr Timothy Jenkins said a custodial sentence was warranted, in view of the seriousness of the corruption offences, and the fact that the bribery scams were premeditated.
The magistrate also reprimanded the defendant for offering bribes to gain unauthorized access to the shooting site to take photographs for commercial purposes.
The court heard that Jettone Films Limited (Jettone) leased a two-storey property at Victoria Road from the Government Property Agency for the filming of a movie.
Group 4 Falck (HK) Limited (Group 4) was enlisted by Jettone to provide round-the-clock security service at the location-shooting site, to which admission was restricted to relevant artistes and crew members.
The court heard that in the small hours on February 1, 2003, Leung approached Tse Fai, then a security guard of Group 4, at the shooting site.
Leung identified himself as a reporter, and requested to take some photographs of the shooting site.
Tse acceded to Leung's request. After taking the photographs inside the site, Leung gave Tse $200.
On February 5, 2003, Leung returned to the site for re-taking of the photographs as those taken previously were not satisfactory.
Leung was allowed entry to the site and to take more photographs. After doing so, Leung gave Tse $100.
The court heard that Leung also offered $500 to Tse for videoing the acting scenes and costumes of the movie with a digital video camera provided by him.
The video-filming did not materialize as shooting of the movie was then suspended.
Tse, who was also charged in connection with the case, had pleaded guilty to two counts of agent accepting an advantage, and one of soliciting an advantage. He will be sentenced on September 2, 2003.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Government Counsel Peter Daryanani, assisted by ICAC officer Eastman Tang.
Alven Leung Shun-key, 29, reporter of Sudden Weekly Limited, today pleaded guilty to three counts of offering advantage to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
The court also ordered that the negatives and photographs of the shooting site seized from the defendant be confiscated.
In sentencing, Magistrate Mr Timothy Jenkins said a custodial sentence was warranted, in view of the seriousness of the corruption offences, and the fact that the bribery scams were premeditated.
The magistrate also reprimanded the defendant for offering bribes to gain unauthorized access to the shooting site to take photographs for commercial purposes.
The court heard that Jettone Films Limited (Jettone) leased a two-storey property at Victoria Road from the Government Property Agency for the filming of a movie.
Group 4 Falck (HK) Limited (Group 4) was enlisted by Jettone to provide round-the-clock security service at the location-shooting site, to which admission was restricted to relevant artistes and crew members.
The court heard that in the small hours on February 1, 2003, Leung approached Tse Fai, then a security guard of Group 4, at the shooting site.
Leung identified himself as a reporter, and requested to take some photographs of the shooting site.
Tse acceded to Leung's request. After taking the photographs inside the site, Leung gave Tse $200.
On February 5, 2003, Leung returned to the site for re-taking of the photographs as those taken previously were not satisfactory.
Leung was allowed entry to the site and to take more photographs. After doing so, Leung gave Tse $100.
The court heard that Leung also offered $500 to Tse for videoing the acting scenes and costumes of the movie with a digital video camera provided by him.
The video-filming did not materialize as shooting of the movie was then suspended.
Tse, who was also charged in connection with the case, had pleaded guilty to two counts of agent accepting an advantage, and one of soliciting an advantage. He will be sentenced on September 2, 2003.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Government Counsel Peter Daryanani, assisted by ICAC officer Eastman Tang.