RETURNING: Choy Chee Yean received a suspended 12-month jail term.

Choy Chee Yean, an arbitration lawyer and partner at Rajah & Tann, was given a suspended 12-month jail term yesterday by a district court there, which means he will not have to go to jail.

The Straits Times understands that Choy, 40, a father of two girls aged seven and nine, will return to Singapore in a few days' time when he gets his passport from the Hong Kong police.

In January, Choy was arrested after stealing HK$9,500 (S$1,650) worth of electronic items from an unlocked hotel room. The loot included a cellphone, a personal digital assistant and a Bluetooth earpiece.

The lawyer, who reportedly earns $700,000 a year, was on a business trip and stayed at the Novotel Citygate Hong Kong hotel.

When an Italian businessman staying on the 19th floor of the four-star hotel returned to find his room burglarised, the hotel security reviewed its CCTV footage and saw Choy leaving the room with the stolen items.

They later found the items in his room.

Choy's lawyer had submitted psychiatric reports saying he had been suffering from clinical depression for three years and had recently experienced a 'major depressive incident'. Choy's depression was due to an unhappy marriage and a daughter who had dyslexia.

Sworn statements from his church friends, colleagues and even clients were also submitted as character references. Choy's wife was also in court.

District Judge Patrick Li said Choy 'was not fully aware' of his actions.

In noting his 'high professional standing and impeccable character', Judge Li said: 'It does not pay for him to take such a great risk and gain so little.'

A statement from Rajah & Tann said Choy's decision to plead guilty was 'in keeping with his integrity and upright character'.

It is not known at this stage if the law firm, or even the Law Society, will take any action against Choy.