HC Deb 07 March 1892 vol 2 cc156-7
MR. FLYNN

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether a report of certain proceedings, taken from the Irish News, at a Special Court of Petty Sessions, at Bangor, Ireland, held on 20th ultimo, has been brought under his notice; and whether he is aware that Sergeant Boyd, Royal Irish Constabulary, swore, in cross-examination, that he got a specimen of the handwriting of the accused by inducing her to write a "love letter" to one of the policemen in the barrack, which letter he handed to District Inspector Winder; and, if so, will the Constabulary authorities take steps to prevent evidence against accused persons being obtained in this matter?

THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. JACKSON,) Leeds, N.

The Constabulary Authorities report that the sergeant in question acted on his own responsibility.

MR. SEXTON (Belfast, W.)

What will be done? In this case the sergeant was about to prefer a charge against the woman, and without informing her that there was a charge against her he induced her to write what he called a "love letter" for the purpose of making her incriminate herself.

MR. JACKSON

The matter is under the consideration of the Constabulary Authorities.