PRISONER’S CLAIM

Taranaki Daily News, 22 July 1929, Page 11

PRISONER’S CLAIM

£12,000 HELD BY THE POLICE. COMMISSIONER WINS CASE. London, July 17. In the King’s Bench Division, Mr. Justice Rowlatt over-ruled with costs exSergeant Goddard’s claim against the Commissioner of Police, Viscount Byng, for £12,000. Legal proceedings concerning the sum of £12,000 withheld by the police from ex-Sergeant Goddard first came before Mr. Justice Rowlatt in the King’s Bench Division on May 11. Goddard was sentenced in January to 18 months’ imprisonment with hard labour and fined £2OOO for accepting money from Mrs. Kato Meyriek, night club proprietor, and others.

The Crown applied that proceedings , brought by ex-Sergeant Goddard against . Viscount Byng, Commissioner of Police, ! should be stayed until proceedings begun ; by the Attorney-General had been deter- ■ mined. These proceedings, brought by the Attorney-General, were by “English . information,” an ancient procedure by which the Crown, suing a subject, asks . for an account of property alleged to bo due to' the Crown. Goddard, said the Attorney-General, had raised tho validity of proceedings by English information. Mr. Pauli, for Goddard, said that English information was a most oppressive form of procedure, but the Judge said he did not agree. Tho Attorney-General stated that £1750 of the £2OOO fine on Goddard had been paid. Mr. Pauli said the difficulty was as. to the balance. Execution had been levied on Goddard’s house and goods, and the costs of tho proceedings bad been taxed against. Goddard at over £5OO. The Judge said he would hear dard’s objection to the validity of the English information on July 15, and would then deal with the point whether the m'—-"’>lzl be recovered from God-, dard, _