§ MR. BOLANDI beg to ask Mr. Attorney General for Ireland whether the authorities intend to prosecute Sergeant Cole, of Clarecastle, County Clare, for seeking to manufacture crime, as was sworn in public court by the Crown witness, Mrs. Normoyle, at the recent trial at Ennis; and whether full inquiry will be made as to the manner in which Sergeant Cole has for some time past been performing his duties.
§ MR. ATKINSONThere is no foundation for the statement in the Question. Mrs. Normoyle made a statement to Sergeant Cole incriminating the local branch of the United Irish League. The Sergeant took down her statement, read it over to her, and she signed it. When called as a witness for the Crown, she swore she made no such statement. The resident magistrate, in announcing the decision of the Court in the case, used the following observations regarding the conduct of Mrs. Normoyle, her husband, and son—
That the Normoyles were guilty of the most shamefaced lying must be apparent to every person in this Court, and, taking their previous conduct in communicating with the police into account, it is evident they have been terrorised into not speaking the truth, and preferred to run any risks from these people.Sergeant Cole is reported to be an excellent officer, in whom his superiors have the fullest confidence.