HC Deb 16 April 1981 vol 3 cc261-2W
Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Attorney-General (1) whether he will explain how and why he and the Director of Public Prosecutions decided to intitiate prosecutions of the so-called Bristol rioters; why the case was discontinued; and what are the actual costs of this legal action from commencement to end;

(2) whether he will publish or place in the Library the prima facie evidence upon which the Director of Public Prosecutions decided that a prosecution should ensue in connection with the so-called Bristol riots and why the case was not completed.

The Attorney-General

The Director of Public Prosecutions decided to institute criminal proceedings on the written evidence submitted to him by the police and after consulting counsel. I am not prepared to publish or to place this evidence in the Library, but oral evidence was heard by the magistrates at the committal proceedings after the raising of the reporting restrictions.

Eight of the 12 defendants committed for trial by the magistrates as a result of these proceedings were acquitted, and the jury failed to agree a verdict on the remaining four. Subsequently, I consulted the Director of Public Prosecutions, the chief constable of Avon and Somerset and Crown counsel. It was agreed that, in all the circumstances, it was not in the public interest that there should be a retrial of the four defendants in respect of whom the jury had failed to agree a verdict.

Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Attorney-General when he expects to withdraw the charges against the Bristol rioters; and, in view of the incident, whether he intends to ensure that no charges or prosecutions are initiated in the Brixton fracas that took place on the evening of 10 April.

The Attorney-General

This was done on 13 April 1981. No.

Mr. John Carlisle

asked the Attorney-General what consultations took place between himself and the Director of Public Prosecutions before the withdrawal of charges against four defendants in the Bristol riot trial.

The Attorney-General

I consulted the Director of Public Prosecutions, the chief constable of the Avon and Somerset police and Crown counsel.