XN000022-1980-05-23 — Page 4

3.

FRIDAY, MAY 23, 1980

AND, A COURT MAY ORDER THAT THE CONVICTED PERSON BE DISQUALIFIED FROM HOLDING A LICENCE FOR A PERIOD OF NOT EXCEEDING FIVE YEARS.

REGARDING THE HEAVIER PENALTY SET OUT IN THE BILL, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT SINCE LOANSHARKING WAS CONSIDERED A SERIOUS SOCIAL THREAT IT WAS FELT THE PENALTIES SHOULD BE SEVERE.

ALSO CONTAINED IN THE BILL ARE PROVISIONS RESTRICTING MONEY LENDING ADVERTISEMENTS, AND POWERS FOR THE REGISTRAR TO ENTER PREMISES AND INSPECT BOOKS.

STATEMENT BY AG ON MACLENNAN CASE *****

+THERE WAS OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST INTO THE DEATH OF INSPECTOR MACLENNAN WHICH SHOWS THAT HE COMMITTED SUICIDE.

+ACCORDINGLY THERE IS NO REASON TO RE-OPEN THE INQUEST

AND I WOULD HAVE NO POWER TO DO SO UNDER THE CORONER'S ORDINANCE.

THIS WAS STATED TODAY BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, MR JOHN GRIFFITHS, FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF HIS STUDY OF THE CORONER'S 160 PAGE RECORD OF THE INQUEST.

DRAWING ATTENTION TO SOME OF THE EVIDENCE WHICH LED HIM TO HIS CONCLUSION THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAIDI

+IT IS CLEAR THAT INSPECTOR MACLENNAN DIED IN THE BEDROOM OF HIS FLAT FROM GUN SHOT WOUNDS TO HIS CHEST SHORTLY AFTER 6 AM. THE FLAT WAS ON THE FOURTH FLOOR.

+THERE ARE NO BALCONIES, AND NO LATERAL COMMUNICATION AS THE CONCRETE RIDGE SURROUNDING THE BUILDING IS, IN FACT, INTERMITTENT.+

THE ONLY ACCESS TO THE FOURTH FLOOR FLAT OCCUPIED BY INSPECTOR MACLENNAN WAS THE FRONT DOOR AND THE WINDOWS, THE DOOR WAS SECURELY LOCKED FROM THE INSIDE AND HAD TO BE SMASHED DOWN BY POLICE IN THE PRESENCE OF INSPECTOR MACLENNAN'S SOLICITOR.

+THERE WAS NO QUESTION OF THE DOOR BEING OPENED FROM THE OUTSIDE, SAID MR GRIFFITHS, THERE WERE FOUR LOCKS AND CHAINS SECURELY FASTENED FROM THE INSIDE, THE KEY TO THE MAIN LOCK WAS FOUND ON INSPECTOR MACLENNAN'S KEY-RING, WHICH WAS FOUND AFTER ENTRY ON A TABLE IN THE KITCHEN/LIVING AREA,+

+THE ONLY WAY OF EVEN ATTEMPTING TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE FLAT THROUGH THE WINDOWS WOULD HAVE BEEN FROM ABOVE USING A ROPE. + HE SAID. BUT THE WINDOWS WERE LOCKED FROM THE INSIDE AND THEY HAD NOT BEEN FORCED OR BROKEN.+

/INSPECTOR MACLENNAN'S