§ MR. PICKERSGILLI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the dismissal, last week, by the magistrate at the Thames Police Court, of a charge of failing to report brought by the police against an ex-convict on licence; and whether, having regard to the fact that the publicity of such a charge destroys a man's chance of earning an honest livelihood, he will instruct the police that a public prosecution for such an offence is not to follow as a matter of course, but that a proper discretion must be exercised.
§ †See (4) Debates, clv., 536 et seq.
172§ * MR. GLADSTONEThe hon. Member's suggestion represents the existing practice. Licence-holders who fail to report are not prosecuted as a matter of course. Every case is carefully considered on its merits, and the licence-holder is not charged if he can show any sufficient excuse for his failure to report. If there is any reason to think that a licence-holder was genuinely trying to make an honest living, this would have much weight in his favour. In nearly 50 per cent, of the cases where an ex-convict fails to report and is apprehended, police court proceedings are not taken. In the present case, after inquiry into the facts, I am satisfied that the charge was properly brought. In these circumstances no fresh instructions to the Police appear to me to be necessary.