34. Mr. WESTasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the case of George Trinder, of Shepherd's Bush, who, together with two friends, was charged at Acton Petty Sessions with loitering; whether he is aware that two plain-clothes officers testified that the accused entered a Chiswick shop at noon and came out with a parcel and one of them looked into a motor car; whether, as the magistrate 194 dismissed the case after only hearing police evidence and as no evidence was given against Trinder, who had to pay a solicitor five guineas for his defence, some recompense will now be made to this young man of good character who has suffered injury; and whether, in view of this further evidence of unwarranted police activity against decent citizens, he will take steps to have these practices reviewed?
§ Sir J. GILMOURI have carefully investigated the circumstances of this case. In discharging these men the chairman of the magistrates added that in the opinion of the bench the police were quite right in making the arrest and bringing the matter before the court to be investigated. In these circumstances, I am satisfied that the case is not one in which the payment of compensation would be justified.
,Mr. WESTIs the Home Secretary aware that I was present in court and that the chief grounds of police suspicion were that two of the young men had gone into a shop and come out with a parcel, but, on being searched, they discovered a paid bill; that one of the young men was carrying an overcoat which on investigation proved to be his own, and that it was also alleged that they looked into a motor car. When the evidence was heard the magistrates immediately dismissed the case. In view of the humiliation caused and the financial interests involved, does the right hon. Gentleman not think that these men should be recompensed?
§ Sir J. GILMOURAll I can say is that I have looked very carefully into this case and have considered it, but, in view of what the magistrates said, I had no alternative but to take the course that I have taken.
§ Mr. RHYS DAVIESWill the right hon. Gentleman go a little deeper into this matter, especially in view of the fact that several cases of this kind have arisen within the same area in London, and that there seems to be something wrong somewhere?
§ Mr. MAXTONMay I press the Home Secretary? Is he not aware that these arrests for loitering in London are becoming very frequent? Will he make some inquiry into the number of arrests for loitering that have been made?
§ Sir J. GILMOURIt is part of my duty to go carefully into all these matters. When this particular case came before the court the magistrates deliberately stated that in their view the arrest was correct and that they should be brought before the court.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member cannot argue the matter.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member has already asked his questions and received answers.