Jackie Chan fights for singer

Nicholas Tse (right) has been attending court with his father

Movie superstar Jackie Chan has come to the aid of singer Nicholas Tse, on trial in Hong Kong for conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

The action star gave a statement to court to testify as a character witness for Tse, 21, one of the Canto scene's biggest pop stars.

The singer is accused of letting his chauffeur Shing Kwok-ting take the blame for a car crash in March, even though Mr Tse was allegedly behind the wheel.

Mr Tse and Lau Chi-wai, a police officer accused in the conspiracy, have both pleaded innocent.

Mr Shing pleaded guilty to conspiring to pervert the course of justice in May and was sentenced to four months in prison.

Jackie Chan, seen here at the premiere of his latest movie, was not in court

"If such a capable young man falls from grace simply because he's still young and immature, it will be a huge loss for society and the entertainment world," Chan said in a prepared statement read to the court on Monday.

"Based on Tse's contributions, I believe he is worth forgiving."

Chan, known for his roles in the Rush Hour series of films, was the most high profile of a number of character witnesses for Tse.

The defence is hoping to paint him as a responsible young man overwhelmed by the pressures of early stardom.

Locally prominent actress Liza Wang Ming-chun's statement read: "He's a very obedient son. He cares a lot about and takes care of his family."

The mother of a 15-year-old fan who Tse visited two weeks before she died from cancer appeared in person.

Tse was a winner at 2002's World Music Awards

Tse's legal team made their closing statement on Tuesday, while Mr Lau's team are expected to finish on Wednesday.

Both Mr Tse and Mr Lau had been released on bail pending the trial. It is unclear what sentence they may receive if found guilty.

The son of movie star Patrick Tse Yin, who accompanied him to court, Mr Tse began performing at the age of 15 and released his first record in 1997.

He won a 2002 World Music Award for being China's biggest selling artist.

Mr Tse was recently involved in a dispute with a Taiwanese paparazzi photographer who claimed he lashed out at him outside a restaurant. The pair reached a settlement in court.

The star has since threatened to leave Hong Kong claiming he is under too much pressure from the paparazzi.