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| Donald Tsang: Hong Kong former leader sentenced to 20 months | Donald Tsang: Hong Kong former leader sentenced to 20 months |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Former Hong Kong leader Donald Tsang has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for misconduct. | Former Hong Kong leader Donald Tsang has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for misconduct. |
| Tsang led Hong Kong from 2005 to 2012 and is the most senior official in the territory ever to stand trial for corruption. | Tsang led Hong Kong from 2005 to 2012 and is the most senior official in the territory ever to stand trial for corruption. |
| He was found guilty last week of misconduct in public office, in a case related to a luxury flat in China. | He was found guilty last week of misconduct in public office, in a case related to a luxury flat in China. |
| In sentencing, Judge Andrew Chan said: "Never in my judicial career have I seen a man fall from so high." | In sentencing, Judge Andrew Chan said: "Never in my judicial career have I seen a man fall from so high." |
| A number of senior former officials in Hong Kong had written letters to the court in defence of Tsang's character. | A number of senior former officials in Hong Kong had written letters to the court in defence of Tsang's character. |
| The judge said he took Tsang's reputation and long public service into account in sentencing, taking 10 months off what would have been a 30-month sentence. The maximum penalty could have been seven years. | The judge said he took Tsang's reputation and long public service into account in sentencing, taking 10 months off what would have been a 30-month sentence. The maximum penalty could have been seven years. |
| Tsang was cleared last week of a second count of misconduct, while the jury failed to reach a verdict on a third charge of accepting an advantage. He is expected to be retried on that charge in September. | Tsang was cleared last week of a second count of misconduct, while the jury failed to reach a verdict on a third charge of accepting an advantage. He is expected to be retried on that charge in September. |
| After sentencing, he was taken from court in handcuffs to the hospital where he has been staying since experiencing chest pain on Monday. | After sentencing, he was taken from court in handcuffs to the hospital where he has been staying since experiencing chest pain on Monday. |
| The view from the gallery: The BBC's Juliana Liu in court | |
| When the presiding judge asked Mr Tsang to stand for sentencing, the former chief executive took a sip of water and closed his eyes. He kept his eyes closed during most of the sentencing speech and appeared to calm himself with a rhythmic breathing exercise. | |
| Five years of investigations and weeks of trial had culminated in this humiliating moment. | |
| It was an ignominious end for a man who used to be the pride of Hong Kong - someone who had overcome a humble start in life to hold three of the city's top jobs. | |
| Mr Tsang's legacy and reputation are in tatters and the judge acknowledged it, saying he had never before seen a man fall so far, so fast. | |
| Designer flat | Designer flat |
| The case has worried a territory that prides itself on its relatively clean reputation. | The case has worried a territory that prides itself on its relatively clean reputation. |
| The trial related to events which took place near the end of his term, between 2010 and 2012. | The trial related to events which took place near the end of his term, between 2010 and 2012. |
| Prosecutors accused Mr Tsang of inappropriate and undeclared conflicts of interest, including renting a luxury flat in mainland China from the shareholder of a broadcast company whose licence applications he approved. They also alleged the flat was redecorated free of charge and that he later nominated the interior designer for an honour. | Prosecutors accused Mr Tsang of inappropriate and undeclared conflicts of interest, including renting a luxury flat in mainland China from the shareholder of a broadcast company whose licence applications he approved. They also alleged the flat was redecorated free of charge and that he later nominated the interior designer for an honour. |
| The jury found him guilty of misconduct over his failure to disclose the lease of the flat, but dismissed the charge related to the designer and did not reach a verdict on whether he accepted a bribe in the form of the refurbishment. | The jury found him guilty of misconduct over his failure to disclose the lease of the flat, but dismissed the charge related to the designer and did not reach a verdict on whether he accepted a bribe in the form of the refurbishment. |
| A career civil servant, Tsang rose through the ranks to become Hong Kong's second chief executive, following Tung Chee-hwa. | A career civil servant, Tsang rose through the ranks to become Hong Kong's second chief executive, following Tung Chee-hwa. |
| His deputy, former Chief Secretary Rafael Hui, was jailed for accepting bribes from a property tycoon in 2014. | His deputy, former Chief Secretary Rafael Hui, was jailed for accepting bribes from a property tycoon in 2014. |