A
Mr Wall
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HKK 38.5/2
REGAVE
1. ? JUN 1978
Th
INDEX
PA
26
B
cm
C
MISS RITA NIGHTINGALE IN PRISON IN DANOKOK
1.
The Rt Hon Barbara Castle MP wrote to the Secretary of State
on 3 and 8 May about Miss Rita Nightingale who was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment in Bangkok on 9 December 1977 on drugs charges. On both occasions she enclosed correspondence from
Mr David Hallmark, a solicitor and an associate of the Portia Trust
who have been active on Miss Nightingale's behalf. Mr Hallmark
visited Bangkok in February. He now wishes to know whether (a) public funds can be provided by the FCO for a private investi-
gation of Miss Nightingale's claim that she was the dupe of
others;
(b) the appropriate Hong Kong Government customs file can be male
available;
(c) Mrs Castle would consider raising in Parliament the fact that British nationals appearing before foreign courts are not; eligible for British Legal Aid.
2.
Mr Hallmark will accompany Mrs Castle when she sees Dr Owen
on 20 June.
3.
Mrs Castle has also sent Dr Owen a copy of a circular letter dated 2 May from Mr Ken Norman, the Portia Trust organiser. Mr
Norman has sent copies to other Members of Parliament, the Press and other prominent personages. I attach a copy of the reply Mr Luard has sent to Mr Lewis Carter-Jones MP about Mr Norman's letter.
Replies on similar lines are being sent to other MPs.
4.
A previous meeting between the Secretary of State and Barbara
Castle about the case was held at the House of Commons on
15 December 1977. A copy of the record of the meeting is attached.
5. As instructed we have obtained the customs file, the police narcotics report and other papers from Hong Kong. These do not throw any additional light on the case. The Governor has asked that some
of the information in the papers should not be revealed because the names of suspects currently under investigation are mentioned.
We
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