§ MR. GEORGE ROBERTS (Norwich)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his attention has been directed to the case of Mr. George Gamble, who was assaulted by Police Constable Edwin Ashford, of the H division, Metropolitan Police, on 25th August, 1906, consequent upon which the matter was investigated by the recent Police Commission, resulting in Ashford being indicted at the Central Criminal Court on 23rd October last and sentenced to nine months imprisonment with hard labour; whether he is aware that Gamble has been taken by Detective Sergeant Derrent and another officer to the office of Mr. Muskett, a solicitor, who offered Gamble £100 as maximum compensation on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, that Gamble declined this on the ground of inadequacy, but upon being led to believe that if the offer was refused he would get nothing he verbally accepted; whether the proceeding was irregular; and whether he will have the matter re-opened with a view to the merits of the case being fully considered and ampler compensation awarded, especially as Gamble is permanently injured and incapacitated 1696 from regularly following his employment as a result thereof.
§ *MR. GLADSTONENo compensation has been tendered to Gamble, the police authority not being liable for the misconduct of the constable. A sum of £100, however, was offered purely as a compassionate grant. No pressure whatever was brought to bear beyond advising him to allow this money to be held in trust for him. I am informed that Gamble, as yet, has neither accepted nor refused the offer. I must add that Ashford has now applied to the Court of Criminal Appeal for leave to appeal against his conviction.