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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1974
STIFFER PENALTIES FOR SEX CRIMINALS
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TOUGHER MEASURES TO DEAL WITH SEXUAL AND RELATED CRIMES ARE TO BE INTRODUCED SHORTLY, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON. JOHN HOBLEY, ANNOUNCED TODAY.
HE SAID WORK ON A NEW BILL WAS IN A FAIRLY ADVANCED STAGE AND WOULD SOON BE INTRODUCED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
+WE SHAL BE PROPOSING MARKEDLY INCREASED PENALTIES, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE HAVE IN MIND CHANGES IN THE SUBSTANTIVE LAW WHICH WILL, I HOPE, ENABLE THE POLICE TO TACKLE THIS PROBLEM WITH INCREASED EFFECTIVENESS, + HE SAID.
MR. HOBLEY ALSO INDICATED THAT OTHER LEGISLATIVE ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN TO DEAL WITH THE CONTROVERSIAL PROBLEM OF VIOLENCE AND SEX IN CHILDREN'S MAGAZINES.
THE REPORT ON THIS PROBLEM PREPARED BY THE ROTARY JOINT INTERACT COUNCIL AND THE HONG KONG SOCIAL WORKERS' ASSOCIATION, HE SAID WAS +A MOST USEFUL ONE, WHICH HAS BROUGHT HOME SHARPLY THE EXTENT OF A PROBLEM WHICH HAS NOT BEEN APPRECIATED AS FULLY AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN.+
THE PARTICULAR EXAMPLES CONTAINED IN THE REPORT, HE ADDED, ARE SHOCKING, BUT ONE REASON WHY ACTION HAD NOT BEEN MORE EFFECTIVE IS THAT OPINION AS TO WHETHER ANY PARTICULAR PUBLICATION OF THIS KIND IS LEGALLY OBJECTIONAL BE AS THE LAW STANDS IS NO MORE CERTAIN THAN IT IS IN THE CASE OF PORNOGRAPHIC LITERATURE AIMED AT A DIFFERENT AGE GROUP.
+THIS HAS MEANT THAT ACTION HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN IN THE CASE OF QUITE A NUMBER OF MAGAZINES WHICH HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO MY OFFICE BY THE POLICE WITH A VIEW TO PROSECUTION,+
MR. HOBLEY ADMITTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN SLOW IN LOOKING TO SEE WHETHER TTHE LAW SHOULD BE CHANGED SO AS TO IMPOSE MORE STRINGENT RULES, PARTICULARLY IN THE CASE OF PUBLICATIONS AIMED AT CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE.
+GREATER STRINGENCY MIGHT NOT BE UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTABLE IN RELATION TO PORNORGRAPHIC LITERATURE AIMED AT OLDER PEOPLE BUT I HAVE NO DOUBT FROM THIS REPORT AND PUBLIC REACTION TO IT THAT THERE WILL BE GENERAL SUPPORT FOR FIRMER LAWS IN RELATION TO MATERIAL AIMED AT CHILDREN.
+THE NEXT MOVE CLEARLY LIES WITH THE LEGISLATURE AND MISS KO HAS SUGGESTED ONE AREA FOR LEGISLATIVE ACTION.
MR. HOBLEY
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