§ 40. Mr. Christopher Priceasked the Attorney-General if he is satisfied with the operation of the Contempt of Court Act 1981.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe Act has been in force for only five months. So far I have not found any problems in operating it.
§ Mr. PriceWill the Attorney-General review the behaviour of certain magistrates now that they are armed with the new power of imprisoning people for contempt in the face of the court? Has he heard of the case in which a man was sent to prison for not standing up straight in the dock?
§ Mr. Beaumont-DarkQuite right.
§ Mr. PriceSecondly, has he heard of the case in which a man was sent to prison for writing a cheque on the carcase of a dead rat, on the ground that his house was rat-infested and he wanted to draw attention to that fact? The right hon. and learned Gentleman knows that it is perfectly legal tender to write a cheque on any substance, however distasteful. Given the recent Home Office report on overcrowding in our prisons, does the right hon. and learned Gentleman think, in retrospect, that it was a mistake to give magistrates the power to add to the prison population for these utterly trivial offences?
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe control of magistrates is not a matter within my powers. I read of the case of the man who did not stand up at all while he was being addressed by the magistrate. With regard to the use of unusual documents for cheques, I have heard only of toilet paper being used. This is the first time that I have heard of a dead rat being used.