§ MR. THORNE (West Ham, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the cases of George Woods and William Charles Hutchinson, who wore sentenced to penal servitude for five years by the recorder, Mr. W. Russell Griffiths, at the Bedford Quarter Sessions, for breaking window panes; and if he will consider the possibility of reducing their sentences, considering the circumstances under which the offences were committed and there being no previous conviction against them.
§ MR. GEORGE ROBERTS (Norwich)At the same time may I ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the sentence of five years penal servitude passed by the Bedford Recorder at the Borough Quarter Sessions on two men for breaking a plate glass window in High Street, Bedford; and whether in view of the punishment awarded and the character of the crime, he will take steps to secure a reduction of the sentence.
§ MR. GLADSTONEThis extraordinary case was brought to my notice some days ago by my hon. friend the Member for Bedford. I inquired into it at once, but I am not yet in possession of all the facts, and perhaps the hon. Member will repeat his Question.