HC Deb 02 March 1965 vol 707 cc223-4W
89. Sir Richard Glyn

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment, or reprieved from execution and their death sentence varied to life imprisonment, have been released after less than three years in prison within the 20 years to the latest convenient date; and how many months had each served in prison before being released on licence or otherwise.

Miss Bacon

Since 1st January, 1945, 5 men and 6 women serving sentences of life imprisonment for murder have been released on licence in England and Wales after less than three years' deten- tion. The following tables give the number of months served in each case:

Men
Year of release Months served
1945 … … … 17
1947 … … … 12
1947 … … … 8
1948 … … … 24
1954 … … … 12
Women
Year of release Months served
1948 … … … 14
1951 … … … 31
1952 … … … 31
1952 … … … 24
1957 … … … 24
1957 … … … 23

90. Sir Richard Glyn

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give particulars of the two cases of men sentenced to 10 and 12 years preventive detention who were recently released after serving 2 years and 2 years and 6 months; on what dates they were released; for what crimes they were sentenced; and if he will list their previous convictions in each case, so far as these are known to the Metropolitan Police.

Miss Bacon

The first prisoner was serving a sentence for office-breaking and was released on 30th October, 1964, because he was dangerously ill and unlikely to live more than a short time. The second prisoner was serving a sentence for pavilion-breaking and was released on licence on 1st January, 1965, after the case had been brought to my right hon. Friend's notice by the Court of Criminal Appeal, who felt unable to interfere with the sentence because an application for leave to appeal had not been made until well beyond the time allowed.

It would be contrary to long-standing practice for my right hon. Friend to publish information about the previous convictions of a released prisoner.