§ 40. Mr. DINGLE FOOTasked the Secretary of State for Scotland, with reference to the sentences passed at Glasgow Central Police Court on 13th July on Thomas Hendry and six others, whether he has any information as to the number of occasions on which each of the boys, respectively, was warned by the police in respect of conduct similar to that for which they were convicted and as to the number and character of the complaints from local residents; whether he can say how many of the boys had never previously been charged in court with any offence; and whether he has any information as to the number of playing fields or other recreational facilities in the neighbourhood?
§ Sir G. COLLINSAll the accused referred to, with one exception, had been repeatedly warned by the police against disorderly conduct in the streets, and, in particular, with the foresaid exception, they were all so warned on the night when the offence was committed. During the month previous to the commission of the offence, 67 complaints were received from householders and others in the Central Police Court area of football playing by youths in the streets, of disorderly conduct, and of the use of obscene language, which was causing great offence to people in the neighbourhood. On one occasion the complaint of a householder was followed by a reprisal, the door of the house being smeared with filth.
In the present case the accused were charged with disorderly conduct and breach of the peace. The evidence disclosed that not only did they not desist from their disorderly conduct when warned, but that they used language in the presence of passers-by and children of so filthy and disgusting a description that it cannot be repeated in this House. In that situation, and having regard to the previous warnings and the numerous complaints from the neighbours, the magistrate imposed a sentence of 14 days' imprisonment. As regards the last part of the question, there are no less than 16 2405 football pitches on Glasgow Green, which is within 300 yards of the locus of the offence.
Since this question was first raised, I have given the matter further consideration in the light of fuller information which has been put before me, and after consultation with the Law Officers I have decided to advise remission of the remainder of the sentences in the case of five of the accused, namely, Lavelle, Cairns, Wilson, Beattie and Chance, none of whom has a previous conviction. The sentences upon Hendry and O'Neill, each of whom has a previous conviction, must stand. I would add that I would not have advised remission of the sentences but for the absence of previous convictions in the case of the five accused, whose liberation has now been instructed.
These remissions, however, must not in any way be taken as indicating that I do not take a serious view of the offence of which the accused were convicted. On the contrary, it must be clearly understood that disorderly conduct of this kind in the streets of Glasgow will not be tolerated, and that the public will be protected against such disorder and obscenity as occurred in the present case.