Mr. CHANCELLORasked whether his attention has been called to the case of Mr. Victor Duval, who was sentenced at Bow Street on Tuesday last to a fine of 10s. or imprisonment for five days, which sentence he has now served; whether he has noted that, though the charge was for obstructing the police, the admitted facts were that Mr. Duval was not originally in the crowd but on the green, and that he was dragged into the crowd by the police, and further that the learned magistrate apparently held that the obstruction occurred after arrest; and whether, under these circumstances, he will consider the advisability of the sentence being quashed?
§ Mr. McKENNAI am informed that the facts are not accurately given in the question. During the disturbance in Parliament Square Mr. Victor Duval was seen to be trespassing on the green within the iron railings of the square. When he was removed he endeavoured to force his way back through the police cordon, and he was then arrested and charged with obstructing the police in the execution of their duty. He behaved with much violence both before and after his arrest. The 1899 offence for which he was dealt with took place before his arrest. The magistrate held that the police were right in removing Duval from the enclosure, he found the charge of obstruction proved, and he made no suggestion that the obstruction occurred after the arrest. My hon. Friend has no doubt been misled by an inaccurate newspaper report of the magistrate's remarks.
Mr. CHANCELLORIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the magistrate sentenced the prisoner for obstruction after, not before, arrest?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe hon. Member is misinformed. He must have got his information from a newspaper report.
Mr. CHANCELLORDoes the right hon. Gentleman know that my information is not from newspapers, but from a verbatim report of the case taken on behalf of the prisoner?