§ Mr. LYLEasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the case of Alfred Slesher, of 2, Spray's Buildings, Chapel Street, Stratford, Albert Regnier, of 20, Beck Road, Stratford, and John Condon, of 15, Disraeli Road, Forest Gate; whether he is aware that these men were arrested on 26th August, 1921, as suspected persons, loitering with intent to commit a felony, and were detained in custody all night and sentenced next day to hard labour on the evidence of Detective-sergeant Schwabe as follows: Slesher three months, Regnier and Condon each one month; is he aware that Condon appealed to the Quarter Sessions and had his conviction 459W quashed by the Recorder without his lordship calling upon the prisoner or his witnesses; that the Recorder stated that there had been a miscarriage of justice; seeing that Slesher was liberated by order of his Department after serving 62 days of his sentence, as the three men were together at the time of the arrest, is he still satisfied that Slesher and Regnier were guilty of felonious intent; and is he prepared to grant compensation to the three men for wrongful imprisonment?
§ Mr. SHORTTI have had these facts under my careful consideration, but have come to the conclusion that they do not afford sufficient ground for a grant of money from public funds to the three men concerned.