Court Emailed Photo Of Jurors As A 'warning'

A high profile Mong Kok riot trial involving localist leader Edward Leung on Friday became embroiled in a photo scare once again, after someone took a photo of the jurors and emailed it to the judiciary.

High Court Judge Anthea Pang said the complaints department of the judiciary received an email containing the photo that showed the faces of four jurors, with a warning that there is "a lot more to come".

Pang slammed the incident as "unacceptable" and said a report had been filed with the police.

The judge then ordered the clearance of the courtroom's public gallery, where the photo was believed to have been taken on Friday morning.

Pang said the court will do what it takes to protect the nine jurors from outside pressure or interference. She also ordered police escort for jurors and a 24-hour hotline to provide assistance.

In February, a man who was said to be a tourist from the mainland, is believed to have taken at least seven photographs of jurors and made a video with his phone. Bailiffs, who were alerted by a member of the public, confronted the man and forced him to delete the photos and video before letting him go.

But reports had said that the man had already circulated a photo on social media before he was caught.

The bailiffs also failed to get the man's personal details from him.

The Mong Kok clashes in 2016 erupted after a dispute over the removal of food vendors. A standoff that ensued led to pitched street battles that saw mobs attack police officers with bricks and sticks.