§ Mr. SUMMERBELLasked the Home Secretary whether he has received a resclution from the Taunton Labour Church asking for a revision of a sentence of six months' imprisonment with hard labour passed on William Sutton, railway porter, at Dulverton petty sessions for the theft of two articles valued at lls.; and whether, in view of the fact that it was the prisoner's first offence, he will favourably consider some mitigation of the punishment?
§ Mr. GLADSTONEI have received several representations on behalf of this man, including one from the Taunton Branch of the Independent Labour party, but regret that I have not seen my way to advise any reduction of the sentence. It appears, from the Report before me, that the prisoner was convicted of two separate thefts, and that these were not his first or only offences, but were part of a series of petty larcenies.