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WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 1983
IMPORTANT LEGAL PRINCIPLE
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IT WAS AN IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE OF OUR LEGAL SYSTEM THAT A PERSON ACCUSED OF MURDER SHOULD BE GIVEN ALL REASONABLE OPPORTUNITY, IF NECESSARY AT PUBLIC EXPENSE, TO ENSURE THAT HIS CONVICTION WAS NOT THE RESULT OF ANY MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON JOHN GRIFFITHS SAID TODAY.
THIS WAS BECAUSE OF THE SERIOUSNESS OF CONVICTION AND SENTENCE FOR MURDER, HE SAID, IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON T.S. LO.
MR GRIFFITHS SAID, THOSE ADVISING APPEALLANTS ARE UNDER A LEGAL AND PROFESSIONAL DUTY TO PUT FORWARD ONLY GROUNDS OF APPEAL WHICH THEY CONSIDER AFFORD SOME REAL CHANCE OF SUCCESS AND UNDER THE RULE OF LAW WHICH OPERATES IN HONG KONG IT IS THE COURT OF APPEAL ALONE WHICH MAY DETERMINE SUCH AN APPEAL AS 'HOPELESS'.+
+LOAN SHARK ING+ DECLINES
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THE PENALTIES DESCRIBED UNDER THE MONEY LENDERS ORDINANCE APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN EFFECTIVE IN DETERRING LOAN SHARKING+, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON JOHN GRIFFITHS TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON ANDREW SO, MR GRIFFITHS SAID THAT PRIOR TO THE PASSING OF THE ORDINANCE IN DECEMBER 1980, +LOAN SHARKING+ WAS FREQUENTLY CONNECTED WITH TRIAD ACTIVITY.
+THE INCIDENCE OF THIS HAS SHOWN A MARKED DECREASE, HE SAID. FURTHERMORE, HE SAID, PRIOR TO THE PASSING OF THE ORDINANCE THERE WAS MUCH CONCERN AND MANY COMPLAINTS VOICED BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC AS TO LOAN SHARKING,
+SINCE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ORDINANCE SUCH CONCERN AND COMPLAINTS HAVE DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY, + MR GRIFFITHS SAID.
SPEAKING OF THE 32 PROSECUTIONS REFERRED TO BY MR SO, HE SAID 25 RESULTED IN CONVICTIONS AND SEVEN IN ACQUITTALS.
+FOR THOSE WHO WERE CONVICTED, SENTENCES RANGED FROM BEING BOUND OVER TO FINES OF UP TO $20 000 PER OFFENCE AND SUSPENDED SENTENCES, HE ADDED.
+SINCE THAT TIME, 37 FURTHER INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN PROSECUTED. SEVEN PERSONS HAVE BEEN CONVICTED, FIVE ACQUITTED AND THE REMAINDER ARE AWAITING TRIAL.
+IN AT LEAST ONE CASE A PRISON SENTENCE HAS BEEN IMPOSED, MR GRIFFITHS SAID.
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