HC Deb 25 June 1888 vol 327 cc1130-1
MR. T. M. HEALY (Longford, N.)

asked Mr. Solicitor General for Ireland, Under what powers and by whose orders were Mr. Sweeney, T.C., and other Loughrea shopkeepers who were arrested for conspiracy, &c., conveyed handcuffed to gaol; what are the Police Regulations with regard to handcuffing untried prisoners; were the handcuffs kept on the 11 men in question during a drive on cars of 22 miles, from Loughrea to Galway, after they were returned for trial, bail being refused by Mr. Townsend, R.M.; did the Queen's Bench afterwards grant bail to all the 11 men; and, what was the reason for handcuffing them?

THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. MADDEN) (Dublin University)

The Inspector General of Constabularly reports that the Loughrea prisoners were handcuffed in accordance with the Police Regulations, the responsible officer having grounds to apprehend an attempted rescue. Under the Constabulary Regulations prisoners are to be handcuffed (1) if charged with the commission of any serious offence; (2) if persons of bad character; (3) if there are reasonable grounds to apprehend an escape, or attempted rescue, or violence. The handcuffs were kept on the prisoners until they were lodged in Galway Gaol, six of them having being sent by road, and the remaining five by rail from Athenry. It is the fact that Mr. Townsend refused to admit the prisoners to bail, and that bail was subsequently granted by the Court of Queen's Bench.

MR. T. M. HEALY

asked the hon. and learned Gentleman whether he had any objection to read the Regulations.

MR. MADDEN

said, he had not got the Regulations with him.

MR. T. M. HEALY

I beg to give Notice that on the Estimates for the Royal Irish Constabularly I shall call attention to the difference in the practices existing in England and Ireland with regard to handcuffing of untried prisoners.

THE LORD MAYOR OF DUBLIN (Mr. SEXTON) (Belfast, W.)

asked, whether an attempt had ever been made to rescue a Coercion Act prisoner in Ireland?

MR. MADDEN

said, he believed not; but proper caution was necessary on the occasion in question.