Ex-Hong Kong social worker given community service for defrauding authorities

Eddie Tse sentenced to 120 hours of unpaid community work for defrauding authorities out of HK$16,780 in welfare benefits

Reading Time:2 minutes

Social worker Eddie Tse leaves Eastern Court after being sentenced to community service for defrauding authorities. Photo: Brian Wong

Published: 1:02pm, 24 Jul 2025Updated: 3:26pm, 24 Jul 2025

A retired Hong Kong social worker behind a dropped legal challenge arising from the San Tin Technopole project has been sentenced to community service for defrauding authorities out of HK$16,780 (US$2,138) in welfare benefits.

Eastern Court on Thursday adopted a probation officer’s recommendation to sentence Eddie Tse Sai-kit to 120 hours of unpaid community work after his lawyer said he “recklessly” understated his earnings to obtain four months’ worth of welfare allowances last year.

A presentencing report cited the 68-year-old defendant as saying he had mistakenly believed that he only needed to report his average monthly income over the year in his application to the Social Welfare Department.

Acting Principal Magistrate David Cheung Chi-wai at one point questioned whether the court should accept the 68-year-old defendant’s earlier guilty plea, before concluding that his failure to make an accurate declaration went beyond mere negligence and deserved criminal sanction.

Cheung also noted that Tse had admitted wrongdoing at the first opportunity and was remorseful.

Tse was arrested early this year while he was challenging an environmental impact assessment report that endorsed the development of a technology hub near the mainland Chinese border.

Despite securing permission from the High Court to commence judicial review proceedings, Tse later dropped the case, citing “widespread harassment and intimidation”.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x