§ MR. SYDNEY BUXTON (Tower Hamlets, Poplar)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, What explanation he can give of the unwarranted arrest in Clerkenwell Road of Dr. O'Brien, of 96, East India Road, Poplar, on Tuesday, May 21; and, why Dr. O'Brien was not allowed to prove his identity by application to his solicitor in Theobald's Road, and to other residents in the neighbourhood, instead of being taken to Scotland Yard?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.)The arrest of Dr. O'Brien was made by a police constable under a mistake as to his identity. He was taken to Scotland Yard because it is the Chief Inspector, and not an ordinary police constable, who could assume the responsibility of dealing with such a question of identity. Dr. O'Brien was only detained a few minutes in Scotland Yard.