HC Deb 09 March 1883 vol 276 cc1897-8
COLONEL KING-HARMAN

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is true that a person named Thomas Harrington, undergoing a sentence of imprisonment in Mullingar Gaol for using words inciting his audience to riot and disorder, was allowed indulgences inconsistent with the strict rules of the prison; whether the same person was afterwards removed to Galway Prison, and was allowed to wear his own clothes on the journey, contrary to prison regulations; whether it is true that the same person was entertained at dinner at Galway while still in custody, and previous to his being lodged in the prison; and, whether, in the event of any persons in the county Westmeath acting on the advice of Mr. Harrington, and being in consequence sentenced to terms of imprisonment, the Government will extend to them the same leniency and comparative immunity from prison discipline which they have granted to the instigator of the crime?

MR. TREVELYAN

Sir, Mr. Harrington was convicted of intimidation under the Crimes Act, and sentenced to imprisonment. I have already stated in this House that the Lord Lieutenant instructed the prison authorities that such relaxation of the prison rules might be made in his case as is consistent with the maintenance of prison discipline and as the law will permit. The prisoner was allowed to wear his own clothes when being removed to Galway. The practice, which was relaxed in this case, is to send prisoners in prison dress. I have not the time to obtain a reply to the inquiry I have made as to the alleged entertainment at Galway. I trust that no such cases as the hon. Member supposes in the last paragraph of his Question will arise; but should they do so, they will, no doubt, receive due consideration on their own merits.

MR. SEXTON

Is there any clause in the Crimes Act making a father responsible for the acts of his son?

[No reply.]