16
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1994
I
PAINTER'S COMPLAINT AGAINST POLICE OFFICERS
**
FOLLOWING
REPLY
IS A QUESTION BY THE HON EMILY LAU WAI-HING
MR ALISTAIR ASPREY, IN THE BY THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY):
AND A
RESORTED
ACCUSED
1990
DAMAGES
FROM
QUESTION : IT WAS REPORTED THAT A PAINTER WHO WAS ASSAULTED,
WITHOUT CAUSE AND DETAINED BY THE POLICE IN DECEMBER HAD
TO LEGAL PROCEEDINGS TO CLAIM THREE POLICE OFFICERS AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CHAMBERS
THE POLICE. THE CASE WAS HEARD REPRESENTING
ON 11 OCTOBER THIS YEAR AND THE
·HIGH COURT
IN SIX-FIGURE SUM OF DAMAGES AWARDED A SETTLEMENT. IN THIS CONNECTION, WILL THE GOVERNMENT INFORM THIS COUNCIL :
·
(A)
(B)
AN
BEFORE THE CLAIMANT WAS
OUT-OF-COURT
WHETHER AN INQUIRY INTO THIS CASE HAS BEEN MADE BY THE POLICE, AND WHAT ARE THE REASONS WHY CRIMINAL CHARGES HAVE NOT BEEN BROUGHT AGAINST THE POLICE OFFICERS CONCERNED;
THE POLICE
OFFICERS
CONCERNED HAVE
BEEN BOARD
WHETHER CONVICTED BY THE POLICE'S INTERNAL DISCIPLINARY OF BREACHES OF DISCIPLINE; IF SO, WHAT DISCIPLINARY ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN AGAINST THEM; AND
REPLY:
(C)
WHAT
IS THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGES INVOLVED IN AND WHO WILL PAY FOR IT?
THIS
CASE
MR PRESIDENT,
A
AS REGARDS PART (A) OF THE QUESTION, THE POLICE INVESTIGATED
ON LEGAL ADVICE, NO LODGED BY THE PAINTER IN MID-1991. COMPLAINT CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS WERE INSTITUTED AGAINST THE THREE OFFICERS DUE TO INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO PROVE ASSAULT.
CONCERNED.
AS REGARDS PART (B), DISCIPLINARY ACTION WAS TAKEN AGAINST THREE POLICE OFFICERS
RECEIVED ONE OF THE OFFICERS SEVERE REPRIMAND, WHILE THE OTHER TWO WERE CAUTIONED.
AS
THE A
PAID ΤΟ THE THREE
(C), DAMAGES OF $100,000 WERE REGARDS PART PLAINTIFF, OF WHICH THE GOVERNMENT PAID $70,000 AND EACH OF THE OFFICERS CONCERNED PAID $10,000.
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