Man pleads guilty to making threats to mistress

A married man pleaded guilty yesterday to four counts of making criminal threats to his mistress at Kwun Tong Magistracy, but the magistrate put off sentencing until May 13 because he needed to see a psychiatric assessment of the defendant first.

The 40-year-old defendant started dating another woman after he got married in 2004. His mistress broke up with him last year. He resorted to blackmail by telling her that he had photos of her in the nude and he would make them public if she refused to let him back in her life.

Error made in public exam time-keeping

The Examinations and Assessment Authority (EAA) confirmed yesterday 28 students taking listening and comprehensive capabilities examinations at the Lam Tin St Paul's Secondary School last Saturday had 15 more minutes to answer questions than the rules allow.

The EAA believed the mistake was due to a miscalculation of the remaining time by an administrator and said a standing committee would look into the matter. The administrator is a teacher at the school and the school director has been asked to investigate.

Suspended sentence for mom who abandoned son

A mainland woman was sentenced yesterday by a Fanling magistrate to six months in jail, suspended for two years, for abandoning her 10-month-old son at Sheung Shui railway station in New Territories last month.

The 36-year-old defendant left her son at the station after failing to find her husband.

Her lawyer asked for leniency on grounds that she could not raise the child on her own, but the magistrate said it is unacceptable to expose a baby to dangers under any circumstances.

Dumper truck drivers to take 7-day strike

The Hong Kong Dumper Truck Drivers Association yesterday called on its members to park their vehicles at the Tseung Kwan O landfill for a week to show their resolve in demanding higher pay.

The association said there are some 2,000 dumper truck drivers in Hong Kong and the rising fuel cost is making life difficult for them. The association's chairman, Lee Chei-fai, admitted the 7-day industrial action will affect construction projects but will not block traffic on public roads.

China Daily

(HK Edition 04/29/2008 page1)