Reference
19
теку
A
Mr McLaren
MISS RITA NIGHTINGALE
RESTRICTED
HKK 385/2
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 0 5 JUN 1978
DESK OFFICER INDEX
PA
REGISTRY Action Taken
02
1. Consular Department have asked if we would write to the Governor of Hong Kong, following a decision by the Secretary of State that the Hong Kong Government should be asked to provide him with any information they may have relating to the case of Miss Nightingale.
2. Miss Nightingale is a British "nurse" (she was actually working as a night club hostess) who was convicted in Thailand last December on a charge of trying to smuggle 3 kilogrammes of heroine. Miss Nightingale had been living and working in Hong Kong and her arrest followed a tip off from the Hong Kong Customs to their Thai counterparts. When arrested she was en route from Hong Kong to Paris, in company with 2 Hong Kong/Chinese. Throughout her trial she persistently maintained that she was no more than the innocent dupe of her 2 accomplices (both of whom were let off scot-free by the Thais).
3. Her case has been taken up by a charitable organisation in this country, the Portia Trust, and by the MP for her home town, Mrs Barbara Castle. A Mr David Hallmark, who is a solicitor and also a trustee of the Portia Trust, has suggested that information on Hong Kong Government files might help to implicate the 2 Chinese and hence exonerate Miss Nightingale. He has asked therefore if the Hong Kong Government Customs file can be made available.
Play B 4.
The Secretary of State, on the advice of Mr Luard, has decided that as a first step (and in preparation for a forth- coming meeting with Mrs Castle) he should see all the papers for himself. He can then decide whether it would be appropriate for any of them to be passed to the lawyers representing Miss Nightingale (provided the Hong Kong Government see no objection: in fact, if the case were to arise in this country, there would be no question of a Government file being made available to the lawyers). I attach a draft.
5. I have spoken to No Wall who tells me that no appointment for the meeting has yet been fixed, but the S. of S. would like it to talde place in the reasonably near fitive.
2 June 1978
W.E. Chantill
WE Quantrill
Hong Kong & General Dept
RESTRICTED
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.