HC Deb 05 September 1887 vol 320 cc1144-6
MR. TUITE (Westineath, N.)

asked the Attorney General for Ireland the following Question, of which he had given private Notice: — Whether, having considered the case of Mr. Hayden, who had been served with two summonses under the Coercion Act, he had decided to proceed against that gentleman upon two charges arising out of the same transaction?

THE ATTOENEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. GIBSON) (Liverpool, Walton)

I cannot make any statement with regard to pending prosecutions, which would limit the discretion and responsibility of the officials prosecuting, which must be exercised on facts as established in evidence before the Court. I may add, for the information of the hon. Member, that if it should appear that the summonses were for the same cause of complaint, and only alternative methods of procedure, of course only one sentence could in that case be imposed.