§ MR. LOUGH (Islington, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that William Vallice, a cabdriver, badge 6147, was sentenced at the City Court to one month's imprisonment with hard labour, and his licence revoked, for wanton driving on the 9th inst; and whether, considering that the prisoner received an excellent character from his employer, 797 Who compensated the old man whom the prisoner had knocked down, and who had received no serious injury, and that this was the prisoner's first offence, he will consider whether some mitigation might be made in the sentence?
§ MR. ASQUITHYes; I understand the facts proved to be that Vallice was driving at the rate of eight miles an house, and on the wrong side of the street. He knocked down an old man of 79 years of age, and though shouted to by the bystanders he made no attempt to pull up. I am informed by the Magistrate that but for Vallice's good character his sentence would have been more severe. The compensation which the employer agreed to pay was regarded by him as no extenuation of the driver's offence, and had it not been paid by agreement, the Magistrate would have made an order for payment of compensation. Under the circumstances, I regret that I do not feel justified in interfering.