§ MR. A. O'CONNOR (Donegal, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether his attention has been called to the action brought against five constables for illegal arrest, assault, and battery of a man, named Charles Braynor, in which the decree given by County Court Judge Webb was affirmed at Lifford by Mr. Justice Holmes on the 14th instant, and whether the costs of the Defendants are to be paid out of public funds; and if so, will he explain why?
MR. J. MORLEYI am aware of the facts of this case. No application for costs has yet been made by the constables, and should such an application be received, the matter will be considered with care. It appears that Judge Holmes was satisfied that Braynor was drunk on the occasion of his arrest, but that the evidence did not sustain the joint charge of drunkenness and disorderly behaviour, and the point at issue in the case seems to have been the power of the police to arrest for simple drunkenness. The action of the police on the occasion, was, I understand, bonâ fide.