§ 70. Mr. Dribergasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Mr. K. E. Holmes, who was released from prison on licence on 13th February, 1964, after serving 10 years of a sentence of life imprisonment, was rearrested on 10th July and is detained at Pentonville, though he had been in steady employment since his release, had committed no offence, and was not in breach of the terms of his licence; why the police and prison authorities have refused to inform him of the reason for this action or to supply him with a copy of the order under which it was taken; if he has considered the letters from Mr. Holmes and his solicitors forwarded to him by the hon. Member for Barking; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. BrookeThe reason why I ordered Holmes' recall to prison under Section 27(2) of the Prison Act, 1952, was because he was in breach of conditions of his licence requiring him to place himself under the supervision of the Central After-Care Association and to notify the Association of his address and subsequent changes of address, and because I did not consider that he could safely be left at liberty while he was in breach of those conditions. At my request the police had previously given Holmes a severe warning that he stood at risk of recall, and he can be in no doubt why recall was necessary. A copy of the order of recall is being supplied to him.