Jennifer Barcelo, who is in her 30s and has been in Hong Kong since October, appeared on Jan 26 before Magistrate Joseph To where she was read the charge against her.
Barcelo was arrested by police and Immigration officers at the New Year Flowers Fair in Shek Kong Garden, Yuen Long while allegedly cutting flowers which her employer sold to fair visitors, according to the prosecutor’s report.
The prosecution applied for an adjournment of the hearing to Feb 20 saying the Immigration Department had yet to release the documents of the case. Barcelo, through her lawyer, applied for bail of $5,000 but Magistrate To rejected this. “Defendant was arrested while working in contravention of her condition of stay, she has no significant local ties, and there is a possibility she will take up illegal work again,” he said.
But he said Barcelo could still apply for bail at the Court of First Instance.
The magistrate set Mar 9 as a tentative trial date and ordered the defendant remanded in jail. – Vir B. Lumicao
