Hong Kong Ordinances

JUVENILE OFFENDERS ORDINANCE - SECT 10

Power to order parent to pay fine, etc. instead of child or young person

(1) Where a child or young person is charged before any court with any offence
for the commission of which a fine, damages or costs may be imposed, and the
court is of opinion that the case would be best met by the imposition of a
fine, damages, or costs, whether with or without any other punishment, the
court may in any case, and shall if the offender is a child, order that the
fine, damages, or costs awarded be paid by the parent or guardian of the child
or young person instead of by the child or young person, unless the court is
satisfied that the parent or guardian cannot be found or that he has not
conduced to the commission of the offence by neglecting to exercise due care
of the child or young person.

(2) Where a child or young person is charged with any offence, the court may
order his parent or guardian to give security for his good behaviour.

(3) Where a court thinks that a charge against a child or young  person is
proved, the court may make an order on the parent or guardian under this
section for the payment of a fine, damages, or costs or requiring him to give
security for good behaviour, without proceeding to the conviction of the child
or young person.

(4) No order shall be made under this section unless the parent or guardian
has been given opportunity of being heard. (Replaced 15 of 1973 s. 10)

(5) Any sums imposed and ordered to be paid by a parent or guardian under this
section or on forfeiture of any such security as aforesaid, may be recovered
from him by distress or imprisonment in like manner as if the order had been
made on the conviction of the parent or guardian of the offence with which the
child or young person was charged.

(6) A parent or guardian may appeal against an order of a juvenile court under
this section in manner prescribed by Part VII of the Magistrates Ordinance (
Cap 227), the provisions of which Part shall apply to any such appeal. [cf.
1908 c. 67 s. 99 U.K.]