The District Court has jailed former University of Hong Kong Faculty of Medicine Dean Lam Shiu-kum 25 months for pocketing donations intended for the institute and swindling patients of medical fees at a public hospital.

Lam, 66, pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office, which embraced the criminality of 30 counts of fraud and three counts of theft originally laid against him. District Court Judge Patrick Li ordered the fraud and theft charges be left on the court file.

The judge said misconduct in public office is a serious offence which calls for an immediate custodial sentence.

"Given the defendant's position, this court expects the highest standard of integrity. Regrettably the conduct of the defendant is a serious breach of trust owed to his patients, the faculty and the Hospital Authority," he said.

The judge said the defendant's jail term was reduced from a starting point of five years to 25 months in view of his guilty plea, full restitution and good character.

Between September 2003 and January 2007 Lam failed to declare a conflict of interest arising from his capacity as dean and the sole proprietor of Gastrointestinal Research. He procured or caused donations of $3.8 million, intended for the university made by three people, to be paid to the company's bank account.

He also falsely represented to 12 private patients under his care at Queen Mary Hospital that Gastrointestinal Research was the organisation to whom medical fees owed by them should be paid, and induced them or their family members to make payments to the company. As a result he caused the patients to pay medical fees totalling $130,000 to Gastrointestinal Research. He also failed to account for the funds received by Gastrointestinal Research and made them available for his personal use.