JURY'S VERDICT

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 140, 10 December 1935, Page 12

JURY'S VERDICT

JUDGE REFUSES IT

Mr. Justice Greaves-Lord refused';t» accept the jury's verdict of guilty in • case at Liverpool Assizes recently. Frederick Thomas Birch, 36, of Glad* stone Road, St. Helens, pleaded not guilty to perjury alleged, to have been committed when he appeared as defendant at St. Helens Police Court on an accusation of loitering for the pur« pose of betting, says the "Daily. Tele» graph."

It was stated that he declared he was not in the market square at .the'time he was alleged to have been making bets there. He later withdrew' that statement, saying he had made a mistake in the dates. He then pleaded guilty to the betting charge,. and .was fined £20. - - . V

Mr. H. I. Nelson, for Birch, now submitted that an honest- mistake, even ia a sworn' statement, was not perjury::. The'jury, without leaving the bo^ returned a verdict of guilty. Mr. Justice Greaves-Lord: I hope you will not say that. I should not liketo have the responsibility of saying this man is guilty of perjury. : , • The jury conferred again and, as they still* appeared to be in doubt, tHe Judge said: "I: will put it in plainer language to you. I think it would be utterly unsafe to convict this man." The jury deliberated a third time and returned a verdict of not guilty. The Judge discharged Birch, and t«l<J him to be a little more carerui' neril, time. -