A HIGH Court judge attacked police disciplinary proceedings as a 'mockery of justice' yesterday before reinstating a constable sacked for gambling on his tea break.
Mr Justice Findlay accused a supervisory official of interfering in the case after a decision had already been reached.
The Force Disciplinary Officer introduced damaging new information after the first tribunal had agreed to suspend the officer. The 'aggravating facts' ensured a re-hearing and a more severe punishment.
'All my instincts rebel against the idea that this procedure could possibly be in accordance with natural justice, or in accordance with the procedure envisaged by the legislature when it drew up the scheme of prosecution of disciplinary offences,' Mr Justice Findlay said.
On June 6, 1994, a police tribunal sacked Wong Kim-ming for playing high stakes card games in the Kai Tak police station.
Constable Wong had managed to net $170,000 in the space of an hour.
He pleaded guilty to contravention of police orders the first time he appeared before the Appropriate Tribunal on March 24 last year.
