鏢埸非禮案的刑期覆核

今天好忙碌, 回到家裏已下午五時, 客仔又特別多, 有個還寫了4頁紙, 都一一回覆了。新聞又特別多, 寫了一單, 還有這一單: 飛鏢場東主非禮改判囚兩年 上訴庭斥行為近乎強姦, 早兩日的新聞, 今天頒判辭, 但司法機構網頁尚未上載。我去年寫過這篇評論: 寫在鏢場非禮案覆核上訴之前, 所以對這件案特別關切。上訴庭的判辭這樣描述:

The gravity of the offence was the respondent’s conduct towards an obviously unconscious and vulnerable woman. The respondent’s conduct fell just short of rape. Clearly, a deterrent sentence was required. (p.20)

阻嚇性刑罰是甚麼?

Starting point for sentence

In all the circumstances, we are satisfied that the appropriate starting point to be taken for sentence is 4 years’ imprisonment.

Discount

The respondent is entitled to a discount from the starting point of ⅓ to reflect his plea of guilty. In addition, we are satisfied that it is appropriate to give the respondent a further discount of 3 months’ imprisonment to reflect the fact that he has performed 136 hours of the 240 hours of Community Service to which he was subject. Finally, given that the respondent, a man of good character, is now to be sent to prison, having been spared that punishment when he was sentenced on 18 October 2016, and having regard to the fact that the offence was committed some 38 months ago and that the respondent was not charged for 15 months after his arrest, we are satisfied that it is appropriate to afford the respondent a further discount of 5 months’ imprisonment.

上訴庭卻沒有對受害人飲了被告提供的兩杯酒後昏迷, 而之後法醫在血液中找到安眠、鎮靜藥的因素考慮在內。據被告人(在判辭中的答辯人respondent)同意的案情, 無可抗拒的推論是被告落藥, 這也是加重刑罰的因素, 最後那5個月的折扣其實可以免除, 現在豈不是對他過份仁慈了?(p.21)