David Trench
In 1962, Roberts was sent to Hong Kong as Solicitor General and was made a Queen's Counsel of Hong Kong on 8 September 1964. He was appointed Attorney-General by then Governor Sir David Trench in 1966 and became "ex officio" member of both Executive and Legislative Councils of Hong Kong, promoted Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1970 New Year Honours, and was appointed Colonial Secretary, succeeding Sir Hugh Norman-Walker, by Governor Sir Murray MacLehose in 1973. Roberts was the first and only Attorney-General to become Colonial Secretary in the history of Hong Kong. He continued to hold the position when Colonial Secretary was renamed Chief Secretary in 1976.