Judge Frank Stock slams long and wasteful trials

A Court of Appeal judge has called for reform of criminal justice procedures in the wake of a lengthy fraud case that squandered taxpayers' money.

Mr Justice Frank Stock passed the damning criticism on a District Court trial that had been set for 50 days, but stretched out to 128 days spanning more than five years.

Of note were multiple changes to the defence team - the three defendants hired at least eight leading barristers, one after another. Cross-examination of the first witness alone took more than 40 days.

Eventually in June 2011, Hon Ming-kong, former chairman and financial controller of China Sciences Conservational Power, and two others were found guilty of charges including conspiracy to defraud, conspiracy to steal, and publishing a false statement involving HK$72 million.

But the trial was hit with long adjournments, infrequent hearings and prolonged applications, the judge said yesterday.

"The waste of public funds in this case was extraordinary. That waste is, however, in our long and combined experience, not unique to this case," Stock wrote in a judgment.

"It is particularly typical of the waste occasioned in commercial crime and corruption trials in the District Court."