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correctional services Department ie. to a Hong Kong prison,
to serve out the rest of his sentence. However, because of
the substantial assistance Reid has given to the crown in
naming those involved in corrupt practices in Hong Kong, the
ICAC assessed that it would not be possible to guarantee his
safety if he was imprisoned in any normal Hong Kong
institution. The ICAC had received information that a large
reward has been offered for Reid's life. Accordingly Reid
is held in near solitary confinement.
B 5. In Hong Kong telno 3405 of November last year the
Governor asked if contingency plans could be made for the
transfer of Reid to a UK prison, in the event of a serious
threat to Reid's life. The Governor was also concerned
about the long term effects of solitary confinement on
Reid's mental and physical state and therefore on his
eventual value as a witness.
6.
The Governor is now satisfied that if Reid were to be
removed from ICAC custody, he could be held safely in Siu
Lam prison (there will soon be special facilities for convicted informants available here). However, the Governor still wishes to make contingency plans in the event that:
A) the threat to Reid's life proves to be such that the Governor is not satisfied that Reid could be safely detained either in the ICAC centre or Siu Lam prison;
or
B) that Reid has to be moved out of the custody of the ICAC because of Judicial Review and he then refuses to
cooperate further with the ICAC as long as he is in the custody of the Correctional Services Department.
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