A former student leader who had also been an auxiliary policeman was yesterday found guilty of putting a firebomb in a bin outside the Legislative Council.
Joe Yeung Yat-long, 23, was convicted of conspiracy to commit arson by the District Court.
Yeung, who used to be the president of Shue Yan University's student union, was found to have blasted the rubbish bin using a flame gun and newspaper on December 9, 2015, shortly after a contentious copyright bill had its second reading in the legislature.
Two masked men were captured on CCTV approaching a bin near the legislature at about 8.30pm. One lit a device and threw it into the bin and the lid was blown off after about three minutes.
Yeung, who had pleaded not guilty, was convicted after the judge concluded he was the masked man who caused the explosion. And a friend had told the court Yeung had instructed him to obtain isopropyl alcohol and a newspaper.
Seeking leniency, Yeung's legal representative said nobody was injured and that Yeung served the community as an auxiliary policeman. And 17 letters of support were submitted.
A co-defendant, Ip Cheuk-yin, 20, pleaded guilty earlier. Ip's lawyer said he was cooperative with police and regretted what he had done.
It was also pointed out there were no casualties, but Deputy Judge Lily Wong Sze-lai said that was "pure luck."
The pair are in custody before sentencing on March 22.
The bill dubbed as "Internet Article 23" was scrapped amid filibustering by lawmakers and public fears about inhibiting freedom of expression.
