§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland—(1) whether Sergeant Dunton, of the Army Service Corps, convicted at the recent Cork Assizes of bigamy and sentenced to three years' penal servitude by Mr. Justice O'Brien, was released from prison before the Assizes were concluded and sent back to join his corps; (2) whether, seeing that Mr. Justice O'Brien in sentencing him said that he could not give him a less sentence than three years, having regard to the gravity of his offence, will he explain why Dunton has been released and on whose recommendation, and whether Mr. Justice O'Brien has been consulted in the matter; (3) is he aware that the young girl whom the convict deceived into going through a marriage ceremony is now in peculiarly distressing circumstances; and (4) were any conditions imposed compelling the released convict to contribute to her support?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThe facts appear to be as stated in the first paragraph, and I understand that Mr. Justice O'Brien was consulted in the matter prior to the discharge of the prisoner. Further inquiries, however, are necessary to enable me to reply to the other points raised in the question, and I would ask the hon. and learned Gentleman to repeat it on Thursday next.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYHas this worthy not gone back to join the Army?
§ [No reply was given.]
§ MR. T. M. HEALYI beg to give notice that on the Estimates I will call attention to this extraordinary case.