Court Mulls Community Service For Ex-Pegasus Star

A former Hong Kong football star could be spared jail for match-fixing, after the District Court expressed its willingness to consider community service.

Lee Wai-lim, who was Hong Kong footballer of the year for 2009, earlier pleaded guilty to being an agent accepting an advantage and conspiracy to defraud.

The court made it clear that the sentencing principles for such cases usually have to carry a deterrent effect. But it also noted that the former Pegasus player had been in custody for almost six months before his guilty plea last September.

It has postponed sentencing to May 4, pending a report on his suitability for community service orders.

Four other former Pegasus footballers charged in the same case were cleared of match-fixing on Thursday, after the judge found evidence from a key prosecution witness to be suspicious