Hong Kong lawyers tell of death threats at trial

Two Hong Kong lawyers faced a terrifying ordeal in Fiji yesterday as they prosecuted coup-plotter George Speight.

Barristers Gerard McCoy, SC, and Ray Pierce attended the hearing despite a threat that members of the prosecution team would be shot on their way to court in the capital, Suva.

Speaking from his hotel, Mr McCoy told the South China Morning Post: 'There was a report to the Director of Public Prosecutions that people would be shot. Someone rang his office and said there was a high-powered rifle and they would take out the prosecutors this morning.

'It was not just an idle death threat. They said they had a rifle and a Magnum pistol and we were going to be taken out. There was a telephone call to the DPP's office, while we were in the office, saying we can see you in the northeast window, just exactly where we were.

'We just got down on our hands and knees and crawled out of that room. It was very, very frightening.'

Mr McCoy said they had to switch cars and were guarded by police as they drove to the court. When they arrived, the building was cordoned off and there were police sharpshooters on the roof. But they still had to make a 50-metre dash from their car to the court and climb two flights of external stairs before entering.

'We walked very quickly with our briefcases over our backs,' Mr McCoy said.