Hong Kong's major newspapers all gave front-page coverage to Tse's sentence for trying to cover up a car accident and said the sentence is too light.

Western Court magistrate Allan Wyeth said on Wednesday that leniency was extended in Tse's case after considering his young age and "passive" role in the cover up.

James Tien, a member of Hong Kong's Legislative Council, said the sentence is unreasonably lenient.

In a commentary, Hong Kong's English-language newspaper the South China Morning Post said a 22-year-old should have no difficulty in understanding that one should take responsibility for one's actions.

"Many will feel that the 240 hours of community service that teen idol Nicholas Tse has been sentenced to perform, on top of the two weeks he has already spent behind bars, is not commensurate with the serious offense of perverting the course of public justice," it noted.

Two weeks ago, Tse, and police constable Lau Chi-wai, 28, were found guilty of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice following a car the star was driving was involved in a crash in March.

Tse was ordered to perform 240 hours of community service for having an employee of his pretend he was driving the car after the crash. The policeman charged with him was jailed for six months.

A Social Welfare Department spokeswoman, Elaine Li, said the purpose of community service was to compensate society.

A spokesperson of the Department of Justice said it would review a report of the prosecutor and the magistrate's ruling before deciding whether to appeal the sentence.

(Xinhua News Agency October 17, 2002)