TNAG-0486-FCO40-551-Review-of-death-sentence-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 88

¿ìo.

14/19

1/4/5/12

Mr Youde to see for inf

Belize House,lly launder Belmopan,

lx poi BELIZE

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ну

30 November 1973

The timing could be unfortunate

it a charge in Hong Kong's law were to be made after the PMs wäit But! J S Champion Esq OBE not think we can do anything) Gibraltar and General Department Foreign and Commonwealth offices London SW1

Dear firm.

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

1.

2.

MACAY DEMOND

Caro

AC

and

の

tsu

M. Sifur Unless the prycusative repur helps this accused

the chamados

that he will hang

5/12

in dismissed

Thank you for your letter of 15 November.

appear for

appeare

منا

تين كل

As reported in my telegram No 284, William Robinson had appealed to the Court of Appeal against his conviction for murder in the Supreme Court on 18 October 1973 for the murder of a police constable. appeal is due to be heard at the Session to be held from 19 to

The 28 February 1974. If the appeal is dismissed the case will be con- sidered by the Committee for the Prerogative of Mercy shortly there- after: the members will previously have received the relevant papers for perusal so as to obviate any further delay.

3*

The main facts of the case are that a police constable on duty in Belize City was approached by an American tourist couple who had been attacked. T heir assailant was pointed out to the constable who approached him. Almost immediately the man stabbed the constable in the abdomen. He died on reaching the hospital.

4. The accused was a notorious and feared criminal whose record of 16 previous convictions include theft, housebreaking, wounding and assault (once on a policeman). He was recently acquitted on a charge of robbery with violence. Psychiatric examination is under way. deceased constable was on his second day of duty after completing his training at the Police Training School. Local opinion is outraged at

the crime and there is no sympathy for Robinson.

eng

Your eve

R N Posnett

The

CONFIDENTIAL