A man, 21, who was given a community service order for desecrating the national flag during anti-government protests in Sha Tin in September last year, has been jailed after the Department of Justice won an appeal over the sentencing today.

The Court of Appeal sided with the DOJ, which had argued for a custodial sentence, and sentenced the youth to 20 days of imprisonment.

The Sha Tin Magistrates' Courts had ordered the defendant to perform 200 hours of community service in October last year after he pleaded guilty.

The maximum penalty for conviction of desecrating the national flag is HK$50,000 and imprisonment for three years.