TNAG-1449-FCO40-1953-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 291

Speech by the Attorney General, Mr. Michael Thomas, Q.C.

Second Reading of Interpretation and General Clauses (Amendment) Bil1

Sir,

12 March, 1986

I move that the Interpretation and General Clauses

(Amendment) Bill be read a second time.

2.

This Bill seeks to increase the maximum penalty

that may be imposed by the Court on a person who has been

convicted of the offence of conspiracy to defraud. At

present, a convicted offender is liable to be sentenced

for up to 7 years' imprisonment. It is proposed to raise

this limit to 14 years' imprisonment.

3.

The reason for this proposal is that a maximum

of 7 years is clearly out of line with the penalties

prescribed in other Ordinances for comparable offences

involving fraud. For instance, under the Crimes Ordinance

the maximum penalty for making a false entry in a bank book

with intent to defraud is life imprisonment and the maximum penalty for forging a valuable security is 14 years'

imprisonment. The offence of handling stolen goods under the Theft Ordinance, which could include money obtained

by deception, has a maximum penalty of 14 years. The

maximum penalties for other fraudulent offences

under