A Hong Kong court has fined the owner of a luxury home at Redhill Peninsula nearly HK$1 million (US$173,938), the harshest penalty to date for illegal structures discovered during a government inspection at the seaside estate three years ago.
Magistrate Tobias Cheng Yun-chung handed down a HK$980,000 fine on Tuesday on Future Ocean, which has owned No 74 at Redhill Peninsula in Tai Tam since 2006.
Deborah Yuen Wai-ming is listed as the company’s director, and she lives in the house with her husband, local businessman Chan Tin-chi.
Cheng said the case was “extremely serious”, noting the defendant showed “a total disregard for law and safety” by failing to remove the illegal works despite authorities issuing the order to complete the removal by February 2024.
During the hearings, Yuen appeared at Eastern Court on behalf of the company and pleaded not guilty to seven summary offences brought by the Lands Department and Buildings Department.
At Tuesday’s sentencing, Cheng criticised the defendant for “disregarding the law”.
