§ MR. STEWART WALLACE (Tower Hamlets, Limehouse)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to a case tried at the Gloucester Assizes, when a sentence of 18 months' imprisonment was inflicted on a girl for stealing the sum of 3d.; and whether he will look into the case, with a view to mitigation or remission of such sentence?
§ MR. ASQUITHMy hon. Friend does not give the name of the prisoner, but from inquiries I understand that the only case which at all corresponds to the description in the question is that of Ellen Jones. She is a woman of 49 years of age, and is an old offender, having been several times previously convicted of theft and housebreaking, and once sentenced to seven years' penal servitude. There is a wide difference of opinion among the judicial authorities of the country as to the proper mode of dealing with habitual criminals who are convicted of comparatively trivial offences, and while I am always ready to consider the special circumstances of particular cases, I cannot undertake the impracticable task of equalising the scale of punishment.