§ 18. Mr. McENTEEasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that James Sullivan, who escaped from Oxford Prison on 30th September, 1933, whilst serving a sentence there was, after recapture, questioned by a prison commissioner at Bethnal Green Police Station as to the time at which he escaped from custody, and that later, when imprisoned at Wandsworth, Sullivan petitioned the Home Office on behalf of the two dismissed warders, stating that they were in no way responsible for his escape; and whether he will have further inquiry made into this matter to see if injustice has been done?
§ Sir J. SIMONAs my predecessor pointed out in reply to the question addressed to him on the 14th December, 1933, on behalf of the hon. Member for Henley (Sir G. Fox), these two officers were not dismissed because they were held responsible for Sullivan's escape, but because they failed to report his absence from his cell at breakfast-time and subsequently maintained, contrary to the facts, that he was in his cell at that time. Sullivan's statements at the time of his recapture confirmed the conclusions which led to the dismissal of the two officers, and his subsequent petition affords no ground for reconsidering the matter.