§ MR. BRADLAUGH (Northampton)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether the evidence taken before Mr. Partridge, at Westminster Police Court, as to the severe assault by a police constable on Williams Rogers by striking Rogers whilst he stood in custody in the dock at the police station, was ever laid before the Director of Public Prosecutions; and, if not, will he state the reason; will he state the name of the constable; and, whether any legal proceedings whatever have been taken by the Government against that constable for such assault?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.)The constable who assaulted William Rogers was Frederick Paulton, who had received great provocation, as Rogers spat at him and was very violent. Paulton, for this misconduct, received a very severe punishment, for he was compelled to leave the Police Force after a service of upwards of nine years. Proceedings for assault must, by law, be taken by or on behalf of the party aggrieved, and not by the Government.
§ MR. BRADLAUGHThe right hon. Gentleman has not answered my Question, as to whether the depositions in that case were laid before the Director of Public Prosecutions?
§ MR. MATTHEWSNo; they were not. The occasion never arose.