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| The District Court judge did not believe the Filipinas' testimony against the alleged mastermind of the scam |
Two Filipina domestic helpers who admitted conspiring to use
fake documents to apply for British work visa have pleaded leniency ahead of
their sentencing in Shatin court.
Criselda Bantasan, 31, and Cristy Par, 47, were originally
scheduled for sentencing today, Jul 23, at the District Court but Judge Li
Chi-ho decided to postpone their sentencing until Aug 4, and move it to the
Shatin magistracy.
The Filipinas testified in the District Court against the alleged
mastermind of the scam, who was, however acquitted, after the judge expressed
doubts about their evidence.
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| Pindutin para sa detalye |
Defense lawyer Teddy Lam, for Bantasan, pleaded for a
lenient sentence for his client, saying she had already suffered she had been
unable to work for the past 18 months. If she were not granted bail, she would
have served her sentence by now.
Lam pointed out that his client was a victim who lost $3,000
when she applied for a job in Britain
He said Bantasan has been staying in a shelter in Kennedy Town
Lam said Bantasan needs to return to her family in the Philippines
Lawyer Vivian Chan, representing Par, also asked for “the most
lenient sentence” for her client, who she said was also a victim of the
syndicate and whom her employers described as “the best domestic helper” they
ever had.
Chan said the defendant continued to live in her employers’ home
but cannot work for pay because although her permit to stay was extended, her employment
visa was not.
She said the employers like Par very much that all members
of the household were at today’s hearing.
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| Tunghayan ang isa na namang kwentong Dream Love |
Bantasan and Par were charged with “conspiracy to use copies
of false instruments” on Feb 22, 2018 after their arrests for submitting forged
employers’ documents at the UK Visa Application Centre at Leighton Centre
in Causeway Bay in April and May 2016.
The two women were applying for jobs as domestic helpers in Britain
