TNAG-0681-FCO40-830-Review-of-death-sentences-passed-on-members-of-UK-armed-forc-1977 — Page 51

For Executive Council

ANNA

で

.....7/189

Condemned Prisoners :

George William Puttock Donald David Bassett

Enquiries have been made by the staff of City District Office

in Central and Western where the nearest relative of the victim live,

the condemned prisoners having no relatives in Hong Kong.

2.

Mr. NG Chi-hei, the victim's brother and only relative in

Hong Kong is a police officer serving in the Traffic Branch. He did not

seem to have strong feelings against the prisoners nor did he insist on

the carrying out of the death sentence imposed on them, as he realized

that it has already become a common practice for such sentence to be

commuted to one of imprisonment. His view is shared by his family

members and friends as well.

30

There is no significant public interest in this case but the

sentiments of the kaifongs and C.D.C. contacts are still strong on the

question of death penalty. The consensus remains that the capital

punishment should be carried out as an effective deterrent to crimes of

violence.

Home Affairs Department

25th March, 1977.

JHLH/1kd

famerke

(James H. L. Ho)

for Director of Home Affairs