A university student was on Wednesday sentenced to eight weeks in prison for removing TVB actor Raymond Cho from the city's organ donation register without his permission.

Wong Tsz-shing, 20, pleaded guilty to criminal damage.

The student told Eastern Court that he carried out the act out of curiosity after hearing about a wave of people withdrawing from the register last year, adding that he had randomly found the required information on Cho on the internet.

The court heard that Wong also tried to input the details of former chief executive Carrie Lam and lawmaker Junius Ho, but did not submit the withdrawal applications.

In mitigation, the defence argued that Wong had previous good conduct and performed well academically, adding that he was unable to take part in university activities or sit exams while being held in detention.

But magistrate Stephanie Tsui rejected the idea of a suspended sentence, saying Wong's action had harmed the public interest and affected people in desperate need of an organ donation.

Wong was released on bail pending an appeal against his jail term.