High Court Ends Ted Hui's Appeal In His Absence

The High Court on Tuesday threw out an appeal by exiled former lawmaker Ted Hui over his conviction for snatching a mobile phone from a Security Bureau official in Legco in 2018.

Judge Wilson Chan noted that Hui had not turned up for the case, and neither had a barrister to represent him.

Chan said he had received a letter from someone claiming to be Hui explaining that he could not be present and had been unable to contact his barrister, and therefore wanted to drop the appeal.

The judge said he had disregarded the letter, however, because there was no proof it was from Hui himself.

But he dismissed the appeal anyway, given there was nobody in court to represent the former Democratic Party legislator.

Hui has already completed the community service order which came along with a fine of HK$3,800 after he was convicted in 2019 of assault, obstructing a public officer, and obtaining access to a computer with dishonest intent.

Facing charges related to anti-government protests, Hui fled to the UK late last year, a move which had already been made by a number of others involved in Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement.