ARRESTED IN BED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21224, 2 July 1932, Page 2 (Supplement)

ARRESTED IN BED.

INNOCENT MAN IN GAOL. CONFESSION BY BROTHER. A yonng man who was sentenced at Stratford, England, recently, to .our months' imprisonment with hard labour for theft and assaulting the police has been released by order of the Home secretary. The release followed a confession by'a brother, James William Middleton, aged 22. that it was he who was Counsel for the Commissioner of Police staled in Court that Walter Middleton, aged 18, was arrested in bed at a "lodginghouse. He denied ho was guilty of the charge, but the case was considered proved. Three davs later continued counsel, James William Middleton called at the police station and said he had J« ; - heard that his brother Walter was » prison for an offence of wbich he, J< William, was guilty. ' . .. The brother made a statement in writ-, inc. and a detective-inspector made inquiries. Satisfying himself that Vvaltwas innocent, he reported the m " tler once to the authorities, and Walter " released. the The Magistrate: I may say that on tna evidence before them the justices e quite justified in taking the course the) ''counsel: Yes; a bona-fide mistake was m ifames William Middleton ■ charged with the offences. He he struck the policeman, but denied kick He was sentenced to a month s i™, prisonment for theft and three months imprisonment for the assault.