§ Mr. SITCHasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the verdict arrived at in the inquest held at Stafford on 24th May to inquire into the death of Private Leonard Pritchard, who died at the infirmary at Stafford as a result of injuries received during a fracas with the police on the evening of 30th April; whether the two policemen who were concerned in this case in the first place gave a false report; whether they subsequently admitted they had made a false report; whether, between 30th April and 24th May, these policemen were still on duty; whether they are at the present moment still on duty; and what disciplinary action has been taken by the Chief Constable of Stafford in the case of these men?
§ Mr. SHORTTThe Chief Constable informs me that the facts are as stated in the first three paragraphs, but that the two police constables were suspended from duty as soon as their original report was found to be false. They were allowed to resume duty temporarily again on the 5th May in order that they might not be prejudiced while the matter was stillsub judice, but ceased to be members of the force as soon as the inquest was finished.