§ 37. Captain STRICKLANDasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of a practice which has arisen in certain police courts of hearing summonses arising from simultaneous charges against two or more motor cyclists for offences committed on the same date, time and place, on different days; whether he appreciates the difficulty experienced thereby in each defendant securing corroborative evidence in defence; and whether he will take steps to ensure that, so far as possible, such cases should be heard on the same day?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd)My right hon. Friend is not aware of any such practice, but he is having inquiries made in regard to a 145 case of which the hon. and gallant Member has been good enough to send particulars, and he will communicate with him further as soon as he is in a position to do so.
§ Captain STRICKLANDMay I take it that the Home Secretary is against this method of hearing summonses for offences of this kind?