HC Deb 13 February 1976 vol 905 cc436-7W
Mr. Stonehouse

asked the Attorney-General if charges were reinstituted in the cases of Regina v Seed, Roper Beale Butlin, Cadbury Hetherington, Westcott, Thomas, Hornsby, Lee, Walker, Keeley and Hyatt under Section 2(2) of the Administration of Justice Act 1933; and what were the final charges on which they were acquitted.

The Attorney-General

No charges were reinstituted in the case to which the right hon. Member refers. All the defendants were acquitted of conspiracy to incite disaffection; individual defendants and a group of defendants were acquitted of possessing a document of such a nature that the dissemination of copies thereof would constitute an offence under Section 1 of the Incitement to Disaffection Act 1934; and one defendant was acquitted of endeavouring to seduce a member of Her Majesty's Forces from his duty or allegiance.

Mr. Stonehouse

asked the Attorney-General if charges were reinstituted in the cases of Regina v Grant, O'Donoghue, Mullins and Ford under Section 2(2) of the Administration of Justice Act 1933; and what were the final charges on which they were acquitted.

The Attorney-General

The defendants were committed for trial under Section 1 of the Criminal Justice Act 1967, and no charges were reinstituted. Grant, Mullins and Ford faced, and were acquitted of, one charge of robbery, contrary to Section 8 of the Theft Act 1968. O'Donoghue was not indicted for this offence, as he had died before the trial commenced.