Ten detainees out of 12 young Hongkongers caught over an illegal border crossing in August received prison sentences of between seven months and three years on Wednesday morning at a mainland Chinese district court in Shenzhen.

Tang Kai-yin, said to be the group leader who organized their escape attempt to Taiwan by sea, was jailed for three years and fined 20,000 yuan (US$3,063), while alleged co-leader Quinn Moon would be behind bars for two years and fined 15,000 yuan, the Yantian District People’s Court announced at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

The other eight defendants were given seven-month jail terms and fined 10,000 yuan for illegally entering mainland Chinese waters.

The remaining two Hongkongers, who were underage at the point of capture, were handed over to Hong Kong police by Shenzhen counterparts around 11 a.m. as Chinese prosecutors had decided not to put them on trial.

The duo were taken to Tin Shui Wai police station in the New Territories before going into quarantine as part of COVID-19 control measures. They would face the courts in Hong Kong later over charges earlier laid against them.

On Wednesday morning, the Yantian court was guarded outside by many public security vehicles and police officers as anticipation of the sentencing ran high.

According to a notice issued by the court, Tang and Quinn organized the escape in August and Tang bought a boat. They contacted the rest on Aug. 23 and arranged for the group to gather at Po Toi O pier in Sai Kung, where they set off for Taiwan. Sometime after 8 a.m., the group was intercepted by Shenzhen coast guard and sent into detention. Prosecution officially charged them with illegal smuggling and illegal border crossing on Sept. 30.

Ten of the 12 stood trial on Monday. The court said they had confessed to the facts of the crimes and pleaded guilty.

Hong Kong and Shenzhen deputies to the National People’s Congress, representatives of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, media workers and family members of the defendants attended the public sentencing on Wednesday, the court claimed in its notice.

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