PEER ACQUITTED.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 76, 11 January 1936, Page 5

PEER ACQUITTED.

CASE IN CIVIL COURT. DANGEROUS DRIVING CHARGE. (United Press Association—Copyright.) LONDON, January 9. Lord de Clifford was discharged at the Old Bailey on a charge of dangerous driving on the occasion of the fatal accident which led to his trial and discharge on a manslaughter charge in the House of. Lords. The prosecution offered no evidence. Mr Justice Charles said: "I was present myself at the House of Lords, and think it would be hopeless, after his acquittal there, to proceed with the charge." Counsel referred to the great number of anonymous and abusive letters received by Lord de Clifford accusing him of putting the country to unnecessary expense for trial by his peers. "The slightest inquiry would have shown that a peer has no power to elect where he will be tried. He cannot waive the right of trial by his peers," said counsel. t

Mr Charles, confirming this statement, said anonymous letters were contemptible things, and were written in this case by people who were not only contemptible but abysmally ignorant. ...'.;.

A London cablegram, dated August 28. states:— The trial of a. peer oy his peers, an extremely - rare event, is expected to follow the committal for trial of liOi'd de Clifford, bv a Kingston magistrate, on a charge of manslaughter. Lord de Clifford was driving a car which collided with a car driven by Douglas Hopkins, who was killed. A trial by peers would be avoided if the Director of Public Prosecutions reduced the charge. It is recalled that the last trial of a peer was in 1901, when Lord Russell was tried in the Royal Gallery of the House of Lords before 200 peers and 10 judges. He was found guilty of bigamy and served three months in prison. Later lie received a free pardon The trial before that was m 1841.