Diss Family History Group

DETENTION OF UNTRIED PRISONERS.

MR. JUSTICE GRANTHAM’S VIEW.

In charging the Grand Jury at Suffolk Assizes at Ipswich on Wednesday, Mr. Justice Grantham referred to the fact that complaints had been made as to the length of time which had elapsed since the last gaol delivery, and that persons who might be innocent were kept under detention an unwarrantable time. His opinion was, however, that not many people were sent for trial who did not deserve to be so committed, and it was certainly better in all important cases where much public feeling was aroused that the trial of the accused should not take place promptly. He might quote as an example the case of the man Gardiner, charged with murder at Peasenhall. No doubt he had been kept waiting a long time, but they knew what had happened. His Lordship thought he was right in saying that at Yarmouth there was a waxworks exhibition in which a representation of the prisoner was given in the position in which he was supposed to have been when the crime was committed. That circumstance indicated that public feeling was very strongly aroused. The accused had a much better chance now, therefore, of having ample justice done him than would have been the case had he been tried at the time.

In dealing with the charge against Gardiner of having murdered Rose Harsent, Mr. Justice Grantham said the suggestion of suicide was one that need not for a moment be considered. It was perfectly impossible that the wounds which had caused death could have been self-inflicted. The letter making an assignation with the girl, which was alleged to be in the prisoner’s handwriting and the footmarks leading to and from his house to that in which the girl was in service were portions of evidence which might be capable of explanation, but they were sufficient to justify the Grand Jury in finding a true bill.