TNAG-0403-FCO40-449-Review-of-the-death-sentence-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 21

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

Registry

No. HKK 14/16

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

Top Secret.

Secret.

Confidential.

Restricted.

CONFIDENTIAL

DRAFT

LETTER

To:-

Monday will do

دلو

MJC Butcher, E,

Home Office

Type 1 +

FROM

Mr Grattan Telephone No. Ext.

Unclassified.

PRIVACY MARKING

In Confidence

cc: PS/Members of

DOPC

B. ebster Esc

Cabinet Office

Department

You wrote to me on 18 October about the figures

for the growth of capital crime in Hong Kong.

We consulted the Colonial Secretary in Hong Kong,

Mr Denys Roberts, who was until recently Attorney

which I cashindadest in my General. He has confirmed that the statistics refer

to offences known to the Police and not to prosecu-

For this reason it the possible to disting wish

he harem malincher and manslaught tions or convictions The distinction is often not

στ

known until investigations into the circumstances

leading to a death have been completed or a court

has delivered its verdict; in unsolved cases the

distinction may never be known. Nevertheless the

chances of accidental death, or death from other

causes, being classified by the Police as murder or

manslaughter are considered to be remote. In this

sense, the term "murder and manslaughter" is

[MP]

interchangeable with "homicide" The Colonial

Secretary was in no doubt that the figures of homicide

reflect a genuine increase in the amount of violence.

Homicide is something which has invariably been

reported, whatever the reporting habits of the public

about other crimes may be.

CONFIDENTIAL

/With