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Lights, camera ... hold-up!
A King & Wood Mallesons partner in Hong Kong inadvertently landed the lead role in an armed bandit’s bizarre film fantasy.
Leanne Mezrani
Simon Yung, a corporate partner at KWM’s Hong Kong office, was getting out of his Porsche when he was confronted by a robber waving an air gun, reported the South China Morning Post.
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The hold-up artist, 23-year-old Huang Shuai, was sentenced to eight years’ jail last week (15 August) for relieving the lawyer of around $280 (HK$2000) and using a gun with the intent to harm.
But that’s not what piqued Folklaw’s interest in the case.
It seems Shuai was taking a leaf out of a scene in the crime film Life Without Principle.
The would-be vigilante testified that he had been inspired by a character who saves the victim of a robbery, then collects a reward for being a hero. So, for two days, Shuai waited patiently in the car park in Hong Kong’s Admiralty district for his moment of glory.
But nothing happened...
His patience wearing thin – and growing hungry – Shuai decided to commit a robbery himself.
The judge, however, felt Shuai’s performance as a Good Samaritan in this suspenseful drama was unconvincing and rejected his story.
Maybe he’s more of a rom-com kinda guy?
Justice Andrew Chan Hing-wai said: “The defendant came prepared to commit the offence … it is clear that the money was not for filling his stomach,” according to the South China Morning Post.
The sentence applied a previously established guideline of 10 years for robbery, adding two for the use of a gun and intent to harm, and then reduced the total by a third to take account of Shuai’s guilty plea, the South China Morning Post reported.
