WINSON PRISON, BIRMINGHAM (DEATH). (Hansard, 28 July 1933)

§ Colonel BALDWIN-WEBB

I must apologise for detaining the House for a few more minutes, but I do so because of the statement. made by the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department in the case of Thomas Parker, that he could not see that any further action was either necessary or desirable in that case. The case of Thomas Parker is a chapter of tragedies. I must remind the House of this man's record. This ex-miner and ex-soldier was arrested in Warwickshire for sleeping out on the highway and sentenced at a special court held in camera to 14 days' hard labour. He conducted himself quite peaceably for the first day in gaol, but said to his warders that he had done no wrong. He was warned to remain quiet, 3054 and did so until the next day. Then, as far as the evidence goes, Parker became difficult and was sentenced by the deputy-governor to three days' close confinement on bread and water. At his stage I should like to ask the Under-Secretary to consider having an inquiry into (1) the trial by the magistrates and the sentence, and (2) the circumstances of the conduct, punishment and death of Thomas Parker in prison. If there is anything to complain about I feel sure that the Minister will welcome a full inquiry into the circumstances. If, on the other hand, it is found that all is straight and aboveboard I shall immediately accept the position.

The case has aroused wide interest, particularly in the Midlands, among ex-Service men, and I feel that I must pursue the matter and demand this inquiry. I have received hundreds and hundreds of letters and messages from all over the country, from magistrates and other people, expressing their great concern about this case. I would ask the Minister, what was said by the police to the magistrates on the morning of the trial? Is there on record a similar sentence upon a man with Parker's record? Had Parker been in gaol before? Had he been fined before? If he had, can I have the amount and the date? I would like also to stress the point—I know it may be difficult for the Minister to answer me—that there is a feeling that a man's war record is not taken into account when he is dealt with in a court of law. Why did the escort of prison officers leave as quickly as possible the cell in which Parker was dying? When Parker was sentenced to close confinement was he told that he would not be allowed exercise?

§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Douglas Hacking)

It is very difficult in such a short time to go into any details. The hon. and gallant Member quoted a sentence from my last speech, in which I said that no further action was necessary or desirable. Since that time my hon. and gallant Friend has brought a good deal of information to my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary, who regrets that he is not here to answer. To-day I am asked specific questions I have not time to answer them all, even if I could 3055 remember them. The first question was: What did the police say in court before Parker was sentenced? So far as we are aware all that they did was to give a record of his previous appearances in the court, namely, once for drunkenness, when he was fined 10s.; once for gaming, when he was fined 5s.; and there were three other appearances, one for drunkenness and twice for sleeping out, in respect of which he was discharged. He had not been in prison before. His service record was not known to the police and was therefore not given in court. I understand that Parker himself did not mention his service record to the court. Another question was: Is a man's war record a relevant factor? There appears to have been some misunderstanding of what I said in the Debate on the Prison Vote on this particular aspect of the case. The position is this: The Chairman having ruled that it was not in order to reflect on the conduct of the magistrates, it was clear that Parker's 3056 record did not become an issue in the Debate on that occasion. The extent to which a defendant's antecedents are relevant to the disposal of a case is a matter for the court to decide, and the Secretary of State would be the last person in the world to suggest that a record of war service should not be taken into account.