HC Deb 22 January 1897 vol 45 cc280-2
MR. JOSEPH A. PEASE (Northumberland, Tyneside)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Depart- ment whether it is true that the prisoner Almond, who, through defects in the Carlisle Prison arrangements, succeeded last month in making his escape, was, after his recapture, unmercifully flogged, as reported in the public Press, and that his screams were heard all over the gaol, and having regard to the absence of any personal violence in the offence committed, what was the exact punishment inflicted on Almond after his return to prison, and by whose order and authority was it carried out; and, if such punishment is lawful, whether any steps are proposed to be taken to prevent the repetition of flogging in any similar cases that may arise in the future?

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEY,) Lancashire, Blackpool

The case of this prisoner, who effected his escape by cutting through the bar of his window with a file, was referred to the Visiting Committee to be dealt with under the powers conferred upon them by the Prison Acts; and they in the exercise of their discretion, and having regard especially to the fact that in addition to his escape he was also charged with repeated offences against prison discipline, and his character was bad, decided to order him 18 lashes. The allegations as to the screams of the prisoner are unfounded; he uttered no sound and suffered no ill-effects—[Opposition cries of "Oh"]—but was able at once to dress himself and go about his work. The punishment was legal, and I have no power to interfere with the discretion of the Justices which is vested in them by law, though, as a rule, a mere attempt at escape if unaccompanied by aggravating circumstances would not be punished by flogging.

MR. MAURICE HEALY

Had the prisoner been previously punished for the other breaches of discipline?

SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEY

No, sir, certainly not. The Visiting Justices, in the exercise of their discretion, took into consideration the other offences committed, and inflicted this punishment.

MR. JOHN MORLEY (Montrose Burghs)

Under what law are the Visiting Justices invested with this power?

SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEY

Under the last Prisons Act; I forget the exact date of it.

SIR WILFRID LAWSON (Cumberland, Cockermouth)

May I ask whether any punishment has been inflicted on the officials who allowed this man to escape? ["Hear, hear!"]

MR. J. A. PEASE

Has a Judge the power to inflict this punishment in any other case than one of violence?

SIR JOSEPH LEESE (Lancashire, Accrington)

asked whether any of those previous offences which were taken into account were cases of violence?

MR. HUDSON KEARLEY (Devonport)

How long previously had those offences been committed?

SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEY

I am afraid I am hardly able to answer all these questions. [Laughter.] I satisfied myself, in the first place, that the Visiting Committee had legal power to do what they did, and, as I have said, they did it in consideration of the prisoner being of bad character, and having committed other offences against discipline, which they punished at the same time as they punished the escape. I have also said that in the case of escape without violence the punishment of flogging would not be usual, and in my opinion would not be proper. ["Hear, hear!"]