TNAG-0817-FCO40-1023-Police-corruption-Independent-Commission-Against-Corruption--1978 — Page 67

CONFIDENTAL

TOP COP

130)

GR 3355

PRIORITY

CYPHER CAT A

FM HONG KONG 241000Z

CONFIDENTIAL

382/2

HKK 382/2 RECEIVED IN REGISTXY MO. 51 2 4 JUL 1978

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

No

TO PRIORITY F C O TELNO 918 OF 24 JULY 1978 INFO HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.

MONGKOK CONSPIRACY CASE,

PA.

REGISTRY

Action Teen

CLE

Discussed with

The Quantill+ The Cartazzi. Await

HK recommendatram before submitting.

1. JUDGEMENT WAS GIVEN TODAY IN THE TRIAL WHICH BEGAN ON 17 APRIL.

2. OF THE ORIGINAL 35 WHO WERE CHARGED WITH VARIOUS COUNTS OF CONSPIRACY, ONE DID NOT ANSWER HIS BAIL AND IS THOUGHT TO HAVE

LEFT MK. ONE SUFFERED A HEART ATTACK AND RATHER THAN HOLD UP

PROCEEDINGS A NOLLE PROSEQUI WAS ENTERED. THAT LEFT 33 DEFENDANTS.

OF THESE 16 WERE FOUND TO HAVE NO CASE TO ANSWER DURING THE COURSE

OF THE TRIAL, AND 15 WERE ACQUITTED THIS MORNING.

3. TWO DEFENDANTS ONLY HAVE BEEN CONVICTED. THE FIRST, A SERVING POLICE SERGEANT WAS FOUND GUILTY OF TWO COUNTS OF CONSPIRACY AND RECEIVED ONE YEARS IMPRISONMENT ON EACH COUNT, THE SENTENCES TO RUN CONCURRENTLY. THE SECOND, A FORMER POLICE CONSTABLE (RETIRED

IN 1973) WAS FOUND GUILTY OF ONE COUNT OF CONSPIRACY AND SENTENCED TO 18 MONTHS IMPRISONMENT.

4. IN GIVING JUDGEMENT THE DISTRICT COURT JUDGE IS QUOTED IN PRESS REPORTS AS SAYING THAT THERE WAS ABUNDANT EVIDENCE TO SHOW LARGE SUMS OF MONEY WERE PAID TO POLICEMEN IN THE DIVISION FOR NOT

CARRYING CUT THEIR DUTY AGAINST ILLEGAL ESTABLISHMENTS. THE JUDGE

IS ALSO QUOTED AS SAYING THAT, ALTHOUGH THE CROWN COULD NOT PROVE THE EXACT PERIOD DURING WHICH THE PAYMENTS WERE MADE, THERE WAS EVIDENCE TO INDICATE A CONSPIRACY EXISTED DURING THE PERIOD

ALLEGED.

5. THE ACTING COMMISSIONER OF POLICE WILL TOMORROW TELL THOSE WHO BRE ACQUITTED, OR WERE FOUND NOT TO HAVE A CASE TO ANSWER, THAT

CONFI

ONFIDENTIAL

/THEIR

2017

the wor