Trio Jailed For Up To 5.5 Years Over Airport Riot

Three people were jailed for up to five and a half years on Friday for rioting at the airport and assaulting a mainland journalist, with the prison terms the longest so far in relation to Hong Kong's recent unrest.

The District Court earlier found Amy Pat, Lai Yun-long and Ho Ka-lok guilty over a siege of the airport in August 2019.

Pat was also convicted of one additional charge of false imprisonment for tying up reporter Fu Guohao with cables.

In sentencing, judge Clement Lee said what the trio did to the Global Times reporter was "crazy, extremely aggressive and insulting", and caused serious public disorder.

He stressed that no matter how noble the defendants' ideas may have been, once violence was involved, any reasons for their actions became fallacies.

The judge said the riot at the airport lasted for 50 minutes, and some defendants made things worse by blocking medics trying to attend to the injured.

Lee said the incident had damaged Hong Kong's reputation as a place known for peaceful protests, saying this was heartbreaking for the people of the territory and the reporter, Fu.

Ho was sentenced to five and a half years in prison, Lai five years and three months, and Pat, who was already in prison over another offence, four years and three months.

Lai had also pleaded guilty to one count of common assault and one of obstructing an ambulanceman, while Ho had pleaded guilty to possessing offensive weapons, including a folding knife, laser pens and an extendable baton.

Lee noted that unlike in other cases, the defendants did not lodge complaints against the police. He said this showed the force did well and he called on the officers involved in the case to spread their "positive energy" among their colleagues.

Another defendant in the case was acquitted, with the judge saying there was not enough evidence to prove he was among the perpetrators.