§ 10. Mr. STOURTONasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his attention has been called to the confession of Walter Prince that he was responsible for the murder of Charles Armstrong, of Winslow Road, Rusholme, Manchester, in 1929, for which crime a man named Fratson is serving a life sentence; whether inquiry has been made into the truth of this declaration; whether it is proposed to release Fratson; and what steps will be taken to compensate him?
§ 14. Mr. PIKEasked the Home Secretary if his attention has been drawn to the confession of Walter Prince, now under sentence of death for the murder of Harriet Shaw, that in 192S he was guilty of the murder of Mr. Charles Armstrong, of Rusholme, Manchester; and in view of the fact that another person is serving a life sentence in respect to Mr. Armstrong's death, will he direct an inquiry into the confession of Walter Prince?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir John Gilmour)Inquiries have been instituted with a view to testing this statement. These inquiries are still proceeding and until they have been completed I cannot say what action may be called for.
§ Mr. STOURTONIs my right hon. Friend aware that, although this man Fratson was found guilty of murder and the sentence upheld by the Court of Criminal Appeal, there was such grave doubt in the mind of the Home Secretary of the day as to whether he was in fact guilty that he not only reprieved him but took the unprecedented course of petitioning for a further consideration of the case by the Court of Criminal Appeal.
§ Sir J. GILMOURAll these circumstances will be taken into consideration, but I cannot express any opinion without further information.
§ Mr. PIKEWill the right hon. Gentleman take into consideration the fact that Fratson is already an inmate of Broad-moor?