Force Orders 1942_18
X
;
NUMBERz8.
22adJune.1942.
TO BE CIRCQL TETDC
ALLRANKS.
In a receatcaseof indecentassaultoa a nunberof children,it was
elicitedfrom eachch:i]b.yd Counselfor the Dëfea ethatthe Gonstablein the
caae,whenobtainingstatementef o them,had askedthe followingquestlons:
"DidMx. % put hia handsup yourlmickere?"
"Didyou eeM . % do thisto any otherchlldrea?"
"Haa M . % everkissedyou?"
"HaaD7r.% everkissedany othergirls?"
2n answerto Counselthe c ildrensaidthatto eachquestionthey
replied"Yes"to thePoliceConstable,aad in•almosta11 the casesthey
admittedthattheyh&i madeao prevlouecomplaintand thatthe first
informationtheyhad givenwas theirrep1yto the Constable'squestions.
If the childrenweretrathful,theprocedurein thiscaaewas wrong
and was opeato attaekon Policeprocedure3a obtalniagevidence.Had the cade
been triedit wouldhaverightlyjustifiedth®Jutq3n flndinga'verdictoP
. "ttot Guilty".
The Chief Coastabledirectsthatwhenobtaiaings,.tatemeaftrsom
witnesses,adultsor youngchildren,leading"questlo,adellaot be asked.
Evidencecan easilybe obtainedfromwitnesseswithoutaskingquestionsthe
replyto whiohis the decidingfactorwhethera crimehae beeacommittedor
not.
In thiscasea queetionto the childrensuchaa lWhathappenedwhen
you werein the.roomwithMy. %" shouldbriagforthall thatthe childknows.
If the childdoeanot allegean indecentact, the mattermust restthere.A
leadingquestionto try and get a witnessto make a damagingstatecentis
wroagand daagerousand moreovervaluelessa'sevidence.
/ 1L
ChiefConstab3e .