Woman Jailed For Throwing Soda Can At Police

A court on Monday sentenced a woman to five months behind bars for throwing a soda can at the back of a police officer and possessing a laser pointer.

West Kowloon Magistracy heard that Pong Lai-ying, 29, was at a protest outside Mong Kok Police Station on September 2, 2019, when she committed the offences.

She was earlier found guilty of assaulting a police officer and possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.

Magistrate Jeffrey Sze said although the officer was not hurt, Pong's actions were a disregard of the law and could have incited the emotions of people at the scene.

He added that although there was no evidence to show that the laser pointer in question emitted class 3B lasers which are hazardous to the eyes, there was still "a very high risk" that Pong could have directed the pointer at the police.

The judge said the jail term was unavoidable, as a deterrent punishment was necessary.