A woman, who made false statements and presented false documents to authorities in order that she could have her baby in Hong Kong, was sentenced to eight months in jail on Tuesday. The woman was arrested on arrival at Hong Kong airport last month. It is the Immigration Department's first successful conviction of a mainland mother-to-be trying to enter the city by air.

The defendant was given eight months' imprisonment by the Shatin Magistrates' Court on the first charge of being in possession of a false document and eight months' imprisonment for the second charge of making a false representation. Both sentences will run concurrently.

The 26-year-old defendant arrived at Hong Kong International Airport by air from Guangzhou on August 29. During arrival examination, the defendant claimed that she was 28 weeks pregnant and intended to visit Hong Kong for sightseeing. Meanwhile, she presented a medical certificate issued by a mainland hospital stating that she was 28 weeks pregnant.

The department checked the records and found that the woman had tried unsuccessfully to enter Hong Kong at Lo Wu Control Point in June. She was refused entry at that time because she had no papers of a confirmed hospital booking. She revealed at that time that her expected due date was September 5.

After she was apprehended at the time of her arrival in August, the defendant reported that she was ill and was taken to hospital. She later produced medical certification issued by another mainland hospital stating that she was 38 weeks pregnant. She gave birth to her baby on September 8 in Hong Kong.

The department verified after investigation that the statement which the defendant presented when she entered was false. The defendant also admitted that she spent 100 yuan to buy the false document.

Under the laws of Hong Kong, any person who makes false representation to an immigration officer commits an offence. Offenders are liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, subject to the maximum penalty of a fine of HK$150,000 and imprisonment for up to 14 years.

Being in possession of a false document also carries the same maximum penalty of a fine of HK$150,000 and imprisonment for 14 years.

The baby of the defendant may be looked after by her relatives while she is in prison, said a spokeswoman from the Immigration Department.

The department said it doesn't see a trend toward pregnant women from the mainland entering Hong Kong by air. The department said it will continue to step up checks at control points to prevent pregnant women who do not have bookings for treatment at local hospitals, from entering Hong Kong.

The statistics show that from January to August, about 3,000 mainland pregnant women who tried to enter from different control points were refused entry. Most of them traveled overland and a dozen pregnant women arrived by air.

The department also revealed it will strengthen communication with the airlines, hoping to avoid similar events happening again.

fanfeifei@chinadailyhk.com

(HK Edition 09/19/2012 page1)