§ 28. Mr. Kellyasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that an appeal, dated 17th January, 1936, prepared by a prisoner named Wicks at Wormwood Scrubs Prison, for the purpose of an application being made to the Registrar of the Court of Criminal Appeal for leave to give evidence and to call other evidence at the hearing of his appeal, was held away from the solicitors until 31st January, 1936; who was responsible for this action; and in whose possession was the document between the 17th and 31st January, 1936?
§ Sir S. HoareThe hon. Member appears to have been misinformed. I find on inquiry that on 17th January, 1936, the prisoner in question was supplied with paper for the purpose of preparing a statement for his solicitors, and on the 19th was supplied with further sheets for the same purpose. The statement was not completed until 26th January, and after examination was posted with a covering letter written by him to his solicitors on 30th January.
§ Mr. KellyIn view of the fact that this procedure destroyed any chance of the man proving his innocence—by reason of the date—why was this held up from the 26th to the 30th? Where was it? Who had it?
§ Sir S. HoareI do not think there was any undue delay at all. A very small delay was due to the fact that the representation had to be checked in one or two directions to see whether it was in order, but there was nothing abnormal in this procedure, nor was there any undue delay.