‘Mr Asia’ charges laid in Lancashire

Press, 9 May 1980, Page 4

‘Mr Asia’ charges laid in Lancashire

NZPA London Detailed drugs charges were laid for the first time yesterday against the 12 accused in the “Mr Asia” case. Each of the 12—including the New Zealanders, Alexander James Sinclair, Karen Mary Soich, and Erroll John Hincksman —now face an additional six charges, formally read during the brief weekly remand appearance in the Magistrate’s Court at Chorley, Lancashire yesterday.. Five of the 12 accused, including Sinclair, are charged with the murder of “Mr Asia,” Christopher Martin Johnstone; with conspiring to

murder him; and with drugs conspiracy. The other seven accused al’ face the drugs conspiracy charge, w’hich still applies, in spite of the detailed charges named yesterday. All 12 now face six additional charges of conspiring together and with others to supply cocaine, dio morphine (heroin), cannabis and cannabis resin; and of conspiring together and w’ith others to evade the prohibitions laid down by the Misuse of Drugs Act on the importation of cocaine, heroin, cannabis, and cannabis resin. Neither the accused nor their counsel objected to the

new charges and the hearinj lasted only two minutes, Tht 12 will appear weekly unj May 19, when the conunitta’ proceedings to decidl whether they should be sen’ for trial will begin. None of the accused spokt during the brief hearing, ani Sinclair stood in the court holding a copy of the paper back, “The Mr Asia File.”

Sources outside the court said that the catch-all drug! conspiracy charge levelled against all 12 would events ally be dropped. Johnstone’s mutilated bodj was found dumped in i quarry near Chorley lasi November.