A 64-year-old taxi driver who overcharged an undercover police officer and sped away to avoid arrest just before the Labour Day Golden Week has been sentenced to eight weeks in prison.
The driver originally faced a dangerous driving charge, but it was amended to careless driving at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts. He pleaded guilty to careless driving and two charges related to overcharging.
Principal Magistrate Cheung Chi-wai noted that the driver's attempt to flee could have injured others, though fortunately, the officers and pedestrians were unharmed. Taking into account his voluntary surrender and guilty pleas, the magistrate imposed the jail term along with a HK$3,000 fine.
Inflated fare demanded ahead of Golden Week
The defendant, Chan Wai-kee, admitted to committing the offenses on April 29, 2026. On that day, an undercover police officer was conducting an operation against rogue taxi drivers on Wong Nai Chung Road in Happy Valley.
The officer approached Chan's taxi and asked in Mandarin if he was willing to go to the InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong in Tsim Sha Tsui.
Chan agreed and quoted a flat fare of HK$280, inclusive of tunnel tolls. After the officer boarded, Chan drove off without starting the taximeter, eventually overcharging the passenger by approximately HK$150 compared to the legally prescribed rate.
Fleeing the scene and subsequent surrender
Upon reaching the hotel's drop-off area, the officer paid with three HK$100 banknotes and received HK$20 in change. As the passenger exited the vehicle, another plainclothes officer approached the driver's window and identified himself as police.
Chan immediately accelerated and sped away, endangering the officers and forcing nearby pedestrians to step back to avoid a collision.
The driver surrendered to the police the following day, admitting he was the driver involved but providing no further explanation for his actions.
The court heard that Chan had an extensive record, including 32 prior criminal convictions, some of which were similar to the current case.
He also had seven previous traffic convictions, including two for careless driving. The defense argued that his voluntary surrender demonstrated genuine remorse.
Furthermore, the defense stated that the taxi association would no longer issue him a license and that he was unlikely to reapply for one, thereby minimizing the risk of him committing similar offenses in the future.
