TNAG-0681-FCO40-830-Review-of-death-sentences-passed-on-members-of-UK-armed-forc-1977 — Page 55

Mr Hawley

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д.н. Нанят

7/1

PS/Lord Goronwy-Roberts

Yo irove si

Ru

HONG KONG: DEATH SENTENCES: LETTER FROM THE HON GEOFFREY RIPPON MP

S

1. Mr Geoffrey Rippon QC MP (Conservative Hexham) wrote to Flag Mr Tomlinson on 17 May enclosing a letter from a constituent about the death sentences passed in Hong Kong on two British soldiers, Gunner Puttock and Trooper Bassett. In his reply of 30 May Lord Goronwy-Roberts promised to write to Mr Rippon again when the outcome of the petitions for clemency to the Governor

was known.

Flag

10

Flag

13

2. Hong Kong have now reported that Puttock and Bassett's petitions for clemency were considered by the Executive Council on 5 July. On the Council's advice the Governor ordered that the sentences of death should be commuted to life imprisonment.

3. I submit a draft letter to Mr Rippon for Lord Goronwy-Roberts'

signature.

1.6B.Sc. зав B. Stef

6 July 1977

CC:

PS/Mr Tomlinson

Capt Rose (PS2B (Army)) Mr Attewell (News Dept)

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J A B Stewart

Hong Kong & General Dept