Ng Chi-kin and Another V.The Queen

CACC000713/1977

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Coram: Briggs, C.J., Huggins & Pickering, JJ.A.

Date of Judgment: 5th December, 1977.

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JUDGMENT

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Pickering, J.A.:

1. The appellants, husband and wife, were convicted of possession of dangerous drugs for the purpose of unlawful trafficking tnerein and also of possession of an acetylating substance and the first appellant was sentenced to concurrent terms of 10 years' imprisonment upon the two charges and his wife to concurrent terms of three years. The dangerous drugs involved consisted of 841.6 grammes of a mixture containing 196 grammes of salts of esters of morphine, and 206.8 grammes of a mixture containing 165.8 grammes of esters of morphine and the acetylating substance was 4.9 litres of acetic anhydride.

2. We dismissed the appeals against conviction as also that of the second appellant against sentence. On the basis that the quantities of the offending substance involved were substantial but not very substantial we considered that the sentences of 10 years' imprisonment imposed upon the first appellant were somewhat excessive and we allowed his appeal against sentence substituting concurrent terms of eight years' imprisonment.

Representation:

A. Sedgwick & Miss A. Mok (Raymond Tang & Co.) for appellants.

Miss Harriss for Crown/respondent.