TNAG-1101-FCO40-1351-Legislation-on-homosexuality-in-Hong-Kong-including--Report--1981 — Page 563

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CP are relevant per se. Mr. Beveridge's views are that whilst

they might not be relevant in themselves they are nonetheless

relevant to the cridibility of the CP as a witness and they may

be relevant to his conduct in the 1978 Yuen Long matter.

Beveridge, QC recently sought a ruling from Yang J. on whether

this area can be explored in cross-examination of witnesses.

Yang J. heard argument and then ruled that cross-examination

of the CP is permissible on the question of whether the CP's

sexuality might have been relevant to his decision in 1978 to

terminate MacLennan's contract after the Yuen Long incident.

Yang J's present view is that the CP's evidence should be heard

in public. If after hearing the evidence Yang J. decides that

there was no link between the CP's sexuality and his 1978

decision the CP will be left with a situation in which the press

have aired all the accusations against him for no purpose.

There are a number of areas of potential or actual conflict

between and amongst the very senior police officers who will

be called to give evidence, e.g. Moor, Clancy, Ross and Brooks

(and Quinn) have given conflicting accounts on what happened at

the time of Quinn's attempt to secure the draft Duffy Petition

by the use of unauthorised indemnities, and also on what happened

in relation to the alleged censure of Quinn shortly afterwards.

Mr. Moor in particular is likely to be subjected to particularly

heavy cross-examination by Beveridge and Seagroatt on a

number of areas. The method which Mr. Beveridge is.

pursuing is to explore as many areas as possible

by cross-examination of junior officers (such as Quinn) in order

to lay the foundations for more rigorous cross-examination of

senior officers on their conduct and role in the events in

question. An example of this approach was his cross-examination

of police officers in relation to the 1978 Yuen Long incident.

ACP Illingworth has already admitted in cross-examination by

Beveridge, QC that he was "unfair to MacLennan" in relation

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