§ Mr. PATRICK WHITEasked the Attorney-General for Ireland whether he was aware that, at a petty sessions held in Drumconrath, county Meath, on the 28th January last, the justices present being Messrs. Sullivan, resident magistrate, Steen, and M'Keever, a boy named James Ingoldsby was sentenced to one month's imprisonment with hard labour, and at the end of that period to find sureties or to be imprisoned for a further period of three months with hard labour; whether a memorial had been presented to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland setting out that the magistrates acted in excess of their jurisdiction by attaching hard labour to the second term of imprisonment for three months; what action he proposes to take in the matter; and whether he is aware that Ingoldsby was a first offender, and that the police-sergeant of the district gave him an excellent character?
§ Mr. REDMOND BARRYI am informed that the name of the person prosecuted was James Cassidy, not James Ingoldsby, and that the date of the proceedings was 20th January. Cassidy pleaded guilty to an offence under 9 Geo. IV. c. 69 Section (1), and received the sentence mentioned in the question. Cassidy was, I understand, a first offender, and received a good character from the police, but I am informed that on the occasion in question1670W Cassidy presented his gun at and threatened to shoot a man who went to the keeper's assistance, and assaulted him by striking him in the face. Regarding the provision for imprisonment with hard labour in default of finding sureties, the hon. Member will find on reference to the Act and Section already quoted that imprisonment with hard labour for such defaut is expressly authorised in the case of an offence under that section. The imprisonment ordered in default of sureties has been reduced to three months without hard labour. Cassidy has entered into the necessary recognisances, and has been discharged.