Perjury Case Stopped by Jury
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I-1 A CASE in which a haulage contractor was charged with perjury was stopped at Leeds Assizes, last Friday, when, without hearing the svhdle of the evidence for the prosecution, the jury returned a verdict of " not guilty." The accused, Mr. Hubert Brook, of Muslin Hall, Thongsbridge, was discharged.
Mr. H. L. B. Hylton Foster, for the prosecution, said it was alleged that the accused gave false evidence at Huddersfield West Riding Police Court, on May 28, when he was prosecuted as a result of his lorry being stopped by a police constable at South Crosland, on April 17. The constable found that, although there were rolls of cloth on the lorry, which was driven by the accused, Mr. Brook's driving record contained no record of the commencement of the journey.
Mr. Brook admitted that he was carrying the cloth to Thongsbridge. Furthermore, his A licence was not in a waterproof container, and the con stable reported him for this alleged offence and for failing to keep a proper record. In the subsequent police-court proceedings, said counsel, accused stated on oath that, at the time when he was stopped by the constable, he had no load on the lorry, but only wrappers and cloth covers.
A constable, giving evidence as to investigations following the police-court proceedings, said that Mr. Brook stated that lie had made a mistake when giving his evidence at the police court.
Cross-examined by Mr. G. H. B. Streatfield (for the defence), the constable admitted that it was about six weeks after he had been reported that Mr. Brook appeared at the police court. Witness agreed that Mr. Brook was a man of perfectly good character.
At this juncture Mr. Justice Lawrence said it rested with the jury as to whether it wished to hear any more evidence. The jury intimated that it did not wish to do so, and returned the verdict stated above.