HC Deb 20 October 1902 vol 113 cc236-7
MR. SWIFT MACNEILL

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can explain why a constable of the Royal Irish Constabulary, who was one of the accomplices of ex-Sergeant Sheridan of that force in the perpetration of crime and the conviction by perjured evidence of innocent persons for the crime so perpetrated, is still a member of the Royal Irish Constabulary.

MR. WYNDHAM

One constable admitted at the Inquiry that the chief part of his evidence was not true of his own knowledge, but urged that he believed it to be true, because Sergeant Sheridan told him so. Sheridan's other accomplices resigned, but this constable refused to do so, and has been stationed at the depôt since August, 1901.

MR. SWIFT MACNEILL

And is this man to remain in the pay of the Crown while Irish Members are put on a plank bed?

MR. T. P. O'CONNOR (Liverpool, Scotland)

Will the right hon. Gentleman give the name of the case in which this constable gave admittedly false evidence?

MR. WYNDHAM

The course pursued by the Government in this matter was explained by me so recently as on the 23rd July last.† I must refer the hon. and learned Member to the statement made by me on that occasion.

MR. T.P.O'CONNOR

But this is a question which can be immediately answered. There were three or four cases in which Sheridan committed perjury, and I want to know the particular case in which this constable who is retained in the force did so.

MR. WYNDHAM

I can only refer the hon. Member to my previous statement. To that I adhere.

MR. SWIFT MACNEILL

And is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this constable is at the depôt giving instruction to new entrants into the force.?