§ 25. Mr. THOMASasked the Home Secretary whether he will have inquiries made into the circumstances surrounding the arrest, on 4th December last, of Gas Linesman H. Davies, Port Talbot, on a 2072 charge of breaking and entering the Aberavon Station Booking Office, of which he was subsequently found innocent and acquitted, another person confessing to being the guilty one; and, in view of the experience Davies had to undergo and the financial loss suffered, whether he will consider if compensation can be granted in this case and an assurance be given that Davies' character is not stained by the proceedings?
Mr. SAMUELIt is not possible to give compensation to persons tried and acquitted on criminal charges; but in this case I am glad to find from the report made to me by the police that Mr. Davies was not even tried on the charge. He was only in custody for a few hours before being released on bail. The man subsequently convicted of the offence was arrested on the same day, and as soon as the circumstances had been inquired into the charge against Davies was entirely withdrawn and no stain rests upon his character.