Rioters damage facilities outside the headquarters of the Hong Kong Police Force in Wan Chai after a protest organized by Civil Human Rights Front on June 9, 2019. File Photo: Ta Kung Pao

A 19-year-old Hong Kong student was sentenced on Thursday to four years and nine months in prison on several charges during violent protests in 2019, including trying to snatch a policeman's weapon. 

Chan Chun-hin was convicted of rioting, and intent to possess a gun without a license, but was acquitted of a charge of police assault. Chan was only 16 when he took part in the riots in 2019. 

According to police witnesses, when a police officer arrived at the scene of riots on December 28, 2019, Chan grabbed the handle of the shotgun and tried to pull its trigger three times. 

The court ruled on Thursday that considering the defendant's lack of criminal record, low chance of recidivism, and hard work after the crime, he was sentenced to four years and three months in prison for the riot charge, two and a half years in prison for attempted possession of a firearm without a license, and one month in prison for each of the two counts of resisting arrest, with six months of the sentence to be served in instalments with the riot charge, for a total sentence of four years and nine months.

Global Times