§ Sir Donald Kaberryasked the Attorney-General what was the approximate cost to the public funds of the prosecution case brought against Mr. Richard Rastall and two others which was stopped and the accused acquitted after four days' trial at the Leeds county court sitting at Knaresborough in June.
The Attorney-General,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 25 June 1979], gave the following answer:
I have now ascertained that the total taxed costs of the proceedings against all three accused was £4,695. It is not possible to apportion these costs between them. Following the acquittal of Mr. Rastall by the direction of the judge, the proceedings continued against the other two accused and ended in convictions after a trial lasting more than two weeks.