THE Chief Justice yesterday refused to admit a London silk to the Hong Kong Bar to appear in a two-day murder appeal lodged by a man sentenced to death for a contract killing. Sir Ti Liang Yang will give reasons for rejecting the application of Martin Thomas, QC, at a later date. The application, which was opposed by the Bar Association, was filed after Ng Kam-chuen, who had been sentenced to death, declined legal aid and asked to be represented by Mr Thomas. Seeking to have the London QC moved, Michael Thomas, QC, submitted that the situation warranted the admission of an overseas counsel. He said the grounds of the appeal, prepared by the London-based Mr Thomas, included severe criticism of the local counsel, one of whom was a senior QC. Mr Thomas said the grounds were complex and involved the developing area of law concerning convictions based on confession statements. Mr Ng should have the right to instruct counsel of his choice and Mr Martin Thomas was the one who had agreed to come to Hong Kong for fees the appellant could afford, he said. Denis Mitchell, QC, for the Bar, conceded that if a senior counsel was being criticised, it was better for another QC to take charge of the case, but it did not follow that an overseas counsel should be admitted for this purpose.
