CONFIDENTIAL
2
Secretary of State should put the proposals to his colleagues in GLN 103 for changing the present government policy. In the meantime, the appeal of the convicted murderer in the BVI, Sylvester Gaston, was rejected in the BVI Appeal Court; Gaston is now seeking leave to appeal to the Privy Council. In liong Kong, six members of the Executive Council abstained during the Council's considera- tion of a proposal to commute the death sentence of a man convicted of a particularly brutal murder; on the instruc- tions of the Governor, the Chief Secretary has written to draw the Secretary of State's attention to the strong feeling in the Council that imprisonment is an inadequate punishment for this type of crime.
24 January 1978
ccr Jasper
Mr Murray
Mr Snodgrass (PDTD) Mr Duff (WIAD)
WE Quantrill
Hong Kong & General Department.
CONFIDENTIAL
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