Bar Owner Jailed For A Week For Refusing To Close Up

A bar owner in Tsim Sha Tsui has been jailed for a week for violating a government order shutting bars, making him the first to be convicted since the closures were made this month due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Kowloon City Court heard that police officers raided the Thai Master bar on Haiphong Road last Wednesday. The front door of the bar was locked, but police found that 64 people had entered through a back door.

The owner was arrested immediately. He pleaded guilty to violating the Prevention and Control of Disease Regulation.

Police earlier revealed that they had issued summonses for the 64 bar customers, aged 14 to 60.

In mitigation, the defendant said he had kept the bar open as dozens of his employees relied on him to make their living.

But Acting Principal Magistrate Ada Yim rejected this argument, saying the defendant had risked the lives of his staff and customers by keeping his business open.

Yim said an an immediate jail sentence was therefore necessary.

Earlier this month, the government announced that all bars and pubs must be shut for two weeks as part of a series of measures targeting entertainment venues to help stem the spread of Covid-19.

The maximum penalty for violating the order is six months in prison and a fine of HK$50,000.

The closure order came into effect at 6pm, on April 3, and is to remain in place until at least April 23.