判刑理由書撮要(由AI生成)
以下撮要以AI生成及／或翻譯，內容以原來的判刑理由書為準。
The written judgment states that in the early hours of 23 March 2020, the defendant rode a bicycle to the married police officers’ quarters in Sheung Shui, wearing a duckbill cap and a mask. He bound the west gate with wire, set fire outside the door and threw three lit petrol bombs into the premises, causing fire damage to a parked private car. Upon arrest, police found a lighter, a liquid containing toluene and a broad-bladed hoe, and he admitted to three offences: arson, possession of a corrosive substance and possession of a tool for unlawful purposes.
The general sentencing guideline for intentional arson is 4 to 6 years’ imprisonment, for possession of a corrosive substance up to 3 years, and for possession of a tool for unlawful purposes up to 2 years; in this case, baseline sentences of 5½ years, 15 months and 9 months were adopted respectively, each reduced by one third for the guilty plea.
The defendant’s actions were premeditated; he wore a mask to conceal his identity and used wire to lock the gate, delaying rescue, and by throwing petrol bombs he created a high potential risk to life and property; he also damaged others’ property and openly posed a serious challenge to the rule of law. Mitigating factors include that the defendant is 62 years old, has no significant prior convictions, pleaded guilty early and has a good family background.
Arson is an extremely serious offence in Hong Kong’s high-rise, densely populated areas and must be met with severe punishment to achieve deterrence and protect the lives and property of the public; even if it does not result in casualties, its potential danger cannot be overlooked.
The defendant was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment for intentional arson; for possession of a corrosive substance and possession of a tool suitable for unlawful purposes he was sentenced to 10 months and 6 months respectively, to run concurrently; he is also required to pay HKD 5,000 in compensation within 14 days. (Translated from Chinese to English by AI)
查看完整判刑理由書