Controversial judge given top post

A controversial judge has been appointed to the top District Court post.

Judge Clare Beeson once advertised for part-time work to highlight magistrates' claims to a higher ranking within the Judiciary.

Last September, the New Zealander was cleared of any wrongdoing by an internal Judiciary inquiry over allegations she had tried to interfere with another judge's trial.

Yesterday she was confirmed as Chief District Judge, a post she has held on an acting basis since 1995.

Another expatriate, William Stone QC, was appointed to the High Court, as was Pang Kin-kee, formerly a District Court judge. Mr Justice Stone, an Englishman, arrived to teach law at Hong Kong University in 1971 before going into private practice in 1977.

Also announced yesterday were the appointments of David Duggan, Garry Tallentire, Judianna Barnes Wai-ling, Mary Yuen Lai-wah and Louis Tong Po-sun as principal magistrates and Lung Kim-wan as principal presiding officer of the Labour Tribunal.