A computer technician was on Monday jailed for two years and eight months after he admitted to rioting during the height of the social unrest in 2019.

The District Court heard that Jason Tam, 24, was among protesters who besieged Tseung Kwan O Police Station in the early hours of August 5, 2019.

In mitigation, Tam’s lawyer pleaded for a lenient sentence, saying his client had committed the offence out of impulse.

The lawyer said Tam has learned a hard lesson and will not re-offend.

Judge Frankie Yiu ruled that Tam had been an active participant in the riot and had thrown bricks at the police building.

The judge said the case was serious and called for a deterrent sentence.

He set a starting point for the sentence at four and a half years, but allowed a discount on the grounds of Tam’s guilty plea and clear record.

The judge also ordered Tam to pay HK$3,000 to the government as compensation for the damage caused.

The prosecution had dropped a charge of criminal damage against Tam.