Το
His Excellency
THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG
&C.
&c.
ANNEX TO XCR(77
12 May 1977
189
&c.
The Petition of DONALD DAVID BASSETT, Prisoner No. 23130, now a prisoner in
Stanley Prison humbly showeth:
1. That on 30 July 1976, your humble petitioner, together with George William
PUTTOCK, was convicted in the Supreme Court of Hong Kong of the murder of NG Fai and was for that offence sentenced to suffer death in the manner authorised by law.
2.
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5.
That on 10 February 1977 the appeal of your humble petitioner was dismissed and that he is now a condemned prisoner awaiting execution.
That your humble petitioner by this petition seeks mercy from Your Excellency the Governor of Hong Kong to save your petitioner from the punishment imposed on him.
That your humble petitioner is now still only 20 years of age having been born on 30 December 1956 in England. His early home background was not ideal: his parents separated when he was aged about 2 years and he then lived with his father and another woman. Even greater tragedy was his portion when he was 5 years old for on 18 February 1962 his father committed suicide. Exactly 14 years later, on 18 February 1976, your humble petitioner became involved in the incident as a result of which NG Fai met his death.
That after his father's tragic death your humble petitioner rejoined his mother who lived with her two other children in Scotland and he has since that time despite joining the Army, maintained a close relationship with them. He joined the Army on 17 April 1972 when he was still only 15 years of age and in December 1974 was posted to Hong Kong never having served outside the United Kingdom until that time.
6. That at the time of the commission of the offence of which he was convicted your humble petitioner had been drinking considerable quantities of alcohol and that this factor contributed in a considerable way to his actions on 18 February 1976. Tests made by a Consultant Forensic Pathologist, Dr LEE Fook-kay, upon fluid samples taken from your humble petitioner about 6 hours after the offence was committed showed a blood/alcohol level of 110 milligrammes per 100 millilitres and a urine/alcohol level of 185 milligrammes per 100
7.
8.
millilitres.
That your humble petitioner is deeply and indelibly conscious of the shame and disgrace which he has brought upon himself and his family: a family which has already had its share of tragedy. But more particularly he will never forget the grief that he has helped to cause to the family of the deceased. He fully understands the part played by his drinking in these terrible incidents and has promised that if he is allowed to rejoin the community, he will abstain from drinking to the extent which led to behaviour so foreign to his normal nature.
That your humble petitioner appeals to Your Excellency the Governor to exercise the Royal Prerogative of mercy and to commute his present sentence of death to one of imprisonment so that he may be allowed to repent and atone for his wrongdoing. That your humble petitioner promises never to forget his wickedness and henceforward to lead a useful and industrious life so that he may be of benefit to the community;
and your Petitioner as on duty bound will ever pray,
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80.
J
D. Barrett
Prisoner's Signature