CODE 18 - 7
Reference
quetrill
o/r
Mr W Quantril
RITA NIGHTINGALE
Et on file
49
and P.A., pending further approad for Consular Dept.
44 +48
82als
1. Please see the attached two telegrams and letter.
(46)
47
2. I have discussed this with Consular Department. The Secretary of State had another meeting on 15 August with Mrs Castle and as a result is thinking of further action after the deadline for appeal runs out on 20 August.
3. The idea seems to be (Consular Department are themselves a little unclear) that we should present a case for clemency to the Thais on the ground that Miss Nightingale was no more than a pawn and not the principal offender. This being so, it is unfair to sentence her to 20 years when the prime culprits behind drugs smuggling - the "Hong Kong Connection" as the press have taken to calling them - have got away.
4.
The expectation is that the basis for such a case would be found in the files of the Hong Kong Police and Customs. As my preliminary view, I said that we could only do this with the consent of the Hong Kong Government. The agreement we had to show extracts from their files to Mrs Castle must be deemed to have lapsed and in any case covered different circumstances. Consular Department will get in touch with you next week when they have a better idea of how they want to proceed.
5. I have just received a copy of the record of the Secretary of State's meeting with Mrs Castle.
HKK 385/2
RECEIVED IN REGISTĂ NO.
2 2 AUG 1978
51
RESTRY
DISK
INDEX
-र
PA
Action Taen
18 August 1978
Jhampen
J Thompson
Hong Kong & General Dept
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