13-year-old in plainclothes cop attack case to face District Court hearing

A 13-year-old defendant accused of attacking a plainclothes officer during protests in Tseung Kwan O on October 13 last year will face District Court hearing with four other adults.

After the prosecution amended one charge, the teen is now facing a count of false imprisonment, causing grievous bodily harm with intent, riot and using a facial covering at an unlawful assembly.

At the Eastern Magistrates' Courts today, the defense said the case should be handled by the juvenile court, but magistrate Ho Chun-yiu said as the teen and adults allegedly committed crimes together, the law does not allow handling the case separately.

The case will be mentioned again at the District Court on July 7. The four other defendants are a computer programmer, 23, concert stage technician, 24, salesperson, 29, insurance broker, 21, and student, 21.