Press Release

Correctional officers stop fighting among remand persons in custody

     Correctional officers stopped a fight between two groups of remand persons in custody in Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre yesterday (April 19) afternoon.

     At 1.15pm, a quarrel broke out between a 34-year-old male remand person in custody and a 45-year-old male remand person in custody over a trivial matter inside a dayroom. The 45-year-old remand person in custody used a plastic toothbrush to attack the face of the other man, who then fought back.

     Three other remand persons in custody inside the dayroom immediately joined to attack the 45-year-old remand person in custody, while two other remand persons in custody came to help him and exchanged fists with the opponents. Officers at scene immediately tried to stop the fight but in vain and called for reinforcement.

     Reinforcement staff quickly arrived and separated the seven men. All of them were later taken to the centre hospital for examination. The 34-year-old remand person in custody was injured on his face but did not need to be transferred to hospital after treatment. The 45-year-old remand person in custody and a 31-year-old remand person in custody sustained head and hand injuries respectively. They were transferred to a public hospital for further treatment and returned to the institution afterward.

     The case has been reported to Police for investigation.

     The 34-year-old person in custody was remanded for an offence of burglary while the 45-year-old person in custody was remanded for an offence of theft. The other five were remanded for offences of breach of condition of stay, remaining in Hong Kong without authority, burglary or trafficking in dangerous drugs.

Ends/Monday, April 20, 2015
Issued at HKT 01:14