A.
THE BEGINNING1
57
CHAPTER 4
THE SPECIAL INVESTIGATION UNIT
On 14 August 1978 one Mr. Richard Duffy, then a practising solicitor, was arrested for certain homosexual offences. His solicitor lodged on his behalf a complaint that Duffy was framed. As a result of a discussion between Mr. Johnston the Director of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and Mr. Li Kwan-ha, Senior Superintendent, CID New Territories (SSP CID N.T.) the then Deputy Director of Criminal Investigation (DDCI) was sent to the Legal Department for advice. Subsequently the then DDCI instructed Mr. Li that further investigation of this case should not be entrusted to those officers who had arrested Duffy (i.e. CID Kwai Chung Division, N.T.). A special team was therefore formed under Superintendent Brooks of CID, N.T. for the specific purposes of finalizing the investigation of the charges against Duffy, and also of investigating Duffy's complaint. The team comprised Superintendent Brooks, with Chief Inspector Quinn as second in command, Inspector Graham and Inspector Ip, plus eleven rank and file. Duffy's complaint was referred to the Complaints Against the Police Office (CAPO), but investigation into his complaint was rendered unnecessary upon his pleas of guilty. He was sentenced to three years imprisonment and discharged in January 1981.
2.
After his arrest, Duffy was visited by Brooks and Quinn and in the course of conversations, Duffy told them that organized homosexuality and procurement of youths in Hong Kong were far more wide-spread than had been previously thought. Brooks relayed the information to Mr. Li Kwan-ha, and in turn the information was passed to Mr. Illingworth, District Police Commander, New Territories (DPC N.T.) and to Johnston the DCI. As a result of the reports and information supplied by Duffy, it was decided that a “larger scale investigation" had to be made into homosexuality in Hong Kong.
3.
Initially the team was housed in Brooks' Office in CID, N.T., and the team, apart from dealing with the Duffy case, also began to gather information on the exploitation of young boys for homosexual purposes in Hong Kong. In September, the team moved to Police Headquarters because it was thought that the problem being Colony wide, the appropriate place for the team was Headquarters for easier access to records and closer liaison with CID Headquarters. This team, which was never an established unit, later became generally known as the Special Investigation Unit (SIU). Initially it came under the direction of the DCI, but when Chief Superintendent Ross (Chief Staff Officer of the Special Operations Group) returned from leave on 6 September 1978, the unit came under him as head of that Group.
4.
In a file entitled "Indecency and Violence”, kept by the SIU, was a minute by Illingworth, DPC N.T., to the Commissioner of Police dated 1 September 1978 in which he made a strong recommendation that procurement of minors for homosexuality be thoroughly investigated. The minute was copied to Director Special Branch, the DCI, and Senior Superintendent CID N.T. Mr. R. T. M. Henry the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) (DCP Ops) and DCI Johnston spoke about this minute. On 8 September 1978, Henry minuted to the DCI asking for confirmation that he was handling this matter. On the same day DCI minuted to Henry confirming that CID, Police Headquarters was handling follow-up enquiries into this case. It went on to say the SIU had been formed within the Special Operations Group under the direct command of Ross, who in turn came under the DCI. Later the DCI briefed Ross on the arrangements made, personnel, accommodation and duties.
5.
When Ross assumed command of the Special Operations Group on 6 September 1978 Brooks and Quinn informed him that homosexuality was rife in Hong Kong. He was also informed that they had contacted an Inspector Fulton who had agreed to assist them and that Inspector Fulton had spoken in great detail about what he knew of the extent of homosexuality in Hong Kong. (See the following chapter).
6.
The SIU operated under the code name of Rockcorry. The DCI and Ross decided that the task for the SIU was to identify the favourite meeting places of practising homosexuals, to gather further information on their activity, and particularly to enquire into the procurement of youths for homosexual purposes. In order to achieve those aims, information on consenting adults had to be gathered also.
7.
By September/October, 1978 Quinn had contacted several homosexuals in addition to the nine youths who were to have given evidence against Duffy and he told them that the SIU was making enquiries and that there was “no witch-hunt in respect of consenting males." The result, in Quinn's words, was an immediate and complete panic amongst the homosexual fraternity.”
8.
In the months of September to December, 1978, the SIU was engaged in gathering intelligence. The SIU was trying to gather information on: (1) who the procurers were; (2) the exploitation of youths for homosexual purposes;
1
This section is based substantially on the evidence of Chief Superintendent Ross, supplemented by the evidence of Superintendent Brooks and Chief Inspector Quinn.