POLICE LIABLE TO ERROR

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 June 1936, Page 12

POLICE LIABLE TO ERROR

CHIEF JUSTICE’S COMMENT

LONDON, May 12

“It seems to have been suggested that if an accused person pleads that the police are mistaken he intends to say they are rascals; when, in fact, they are human beings liable to error.” Lord Hewart, the Lord Chief Justice. made this comment at the Court of Criminal Appeal yesterday, when the conviction of a man accused of housebreaking was quashed. Justices du Parcq and Goddard concurred in Lord Hcwart’s judgment, in which he declared that the trial was conducted in an extraordinarily unfortunate manner.

The court ordered the release oi Frederick John Ward, 35, who had been sentenced at London County Sessions to 12 months’ hard labour for alleged warehouse breaking. It was stated that after a midnight police chase of three men, Ward was arrested at home. He pleaded an alibi, and called evidence that he had been in bed with toothache. Giving judgment, Lord Hewart said that, “Directly the suggestion was made that the police were mistaken, a violent controversy seemed to have arisen, although it was explained that, no attack was being made on the police. “It seems to have been represented to the jury that the accused was alleging that the police had committed the grossest perjury.” Lord Hewart stated that the acting Deputy Chairman (Mr. Richard 0 Sullivan, K.C.), instead of stamping on it, allowed the controversy to proceed. and himself told the jury that the question raised matters ot the gravest character both 101' Ward and the police. ' “If cases are to be conducted like that,” the Lord Chief Justice added, “it will be impossible to suggest, in the most apologetic way. that a police officer is capable of making an error.” ’