Hong Kong taxi driver jailed for 8 years, banned from driving over role in crash that killed 2 pedestrians and injured 4 in 2021
- Mok Pui-wa pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter and four of dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm over fatal crash at road crossing in Tai Po
- Two pedestrians died and four were injured when Mok sped up ahead of red light as he tried to overtake cars, with his taxi slamming into safety island
Mr Justice Andrew Chan Hing-wai handed down the sentence at the High Court on Thursday to Mok Pui-wa, 65, who had pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter and four of dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm.
“The court has seen the video evidence of the car accident, it makes people feel sad, disturbed and shocked,” Chan said. “Even if the defendant did not deliberately ram into the crowd, it was predictable that the pedestrian’s lives would be in danger or even killed if he accelerated.”
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The court earlier heard that Mok had accelerated as he approached the pedestrian crossing on Kwong Fuk Road, where the traffic lights were red, as he tried to overtake cars ahead of him on August 22, 2021.
Car camera footage seen in court showed that Mok had veered from his lane to the opposite side of the road before his taxi hit a safety island.
A 59-year-old man was killed at the scene while a 63-year-old woman died in hospital a day later. The four injured included a pregnant woman and a four-year-old boy.
Chan said it was “lucky” that the woman had been in a stable condition and later gave birth to the child.
Hong Kong taxi driver pleads guilty over role in crash that killed 2, hurt 4
He found the defendant, with more than 40 years of experience on the road, had a “fairly good” driving record as he only had three minor offences in the past five years.
But he noted that Mok never explained why he drove in such a manner given he was neither under the influence of drugs or alcohol, nor affected by a problem with his vehicle.
For manslaughter charges in Hong Kong, sentences begin at 12 years’ imprisonment.
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Chan remarked that dangerous driving causing death was punishable by a maximum of 10 years’ jail in Hong Kong, whereas the offence could result in a life sentence in Britain.
For the dangerous driving offences, Chan set the sentencing starting point at four years, on top of the life disqualification from driving. Mok received a one-third discount on the punishment to reflect his guilty plea.
