§ 58. Mr. Boxasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances a prisoner serving a first sentence was permitted to travel from Exeter Prison to Cardiff Prison without escort to see his six year old son lying dangerously ill in a nearby hospital, was released for three hours to see his son, was granted a further three hours' parole in view of the boy's condition, but was refused a further extension despite the fact that doctors at the hospital thought it unlikely that the child would live through the night, so that as a result the child died alone some four and a quarter hours after his father had returned to prison; and whether he will make a statement.
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59. Mr. Pearsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of the circumstances in which D. A. Jones, Prisoner No. 8732, was allowed out to see his son who was gravely ill at Sully Hospital on 6th March and who died at 1.30 a.m. the next day; to what extent prison regulations could have allowed the authorities at Cardiff to extend the parole beyond 9.45 p.m. when the doctors in attendance intimated that the child was not expected to survive the night; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BrookeNews of the critical deterioration in the boy's health was received at Exeter prison on 6th March, and the prisoner was immediately released on parole to visit the Sully Hospital, Cardiff, with instructions to report to Cardiff prison at 7.30 p.m. after the visit. During the afternoon the Deputy Governor of Cardiff prison was asked whether it would be possible for the prisoner to stay overnight at the hospital; he replied that he had no authority to allow parole overnight, but he extended the prisoner's parole until 9.45 p.m. The boy died during the night, but he was not alone. His mother and another relative were with him. The prisoner was allowed further parole to attend the funeral and to spend some time afterwards with his wife.