Courts of Summary Jurisdiction

Published date01 January 1968
DOI10.1177/002201836803200101
Date01 January 1968
Subject MatterArticle
The
Journal
of
Criminal
Law
Vol.
XXXII.
No. I
JANUARY-MARCH
1968
Courts
ofSummary
Jurisdiction
HAVING
AN
ARTICLE
OF
POLICE
UNIFORM
AMAN appeared at Marlborough Street Magistrates' Court
before
Mr.
E. Robey, Stipendiary Magistrate, to answer a
summons
under
Section 52 (3)
of
the Police Act, 1964, that,
not
being a
member
of
a police force or special constable, he
had
in his
possession
an
article of police uniform. This is defined in
sub-so
(4)
as meaning any article
of
uniform or
any
distinctive badge or mark
or document of identific
"m
usually issued to members
of
police
forces or special constables or anything having the appearance of
such an article.
The
defendant pleaded not guilty,
and
both he
and
the prosecution were represented by Counsel.
Evidence was given by a police officer
that
he went to the
defendant's business premises where the defendant carried on his
business of a private detective
and
asked the defendant what form
of
identification was used by him
and
members of his firm.
The
defendant produced acard which
read:
"Civil Investigation
Department.
The
Bearer of this
card
is a Detective of
the Civil Investigation Department
and
members
of
the public are
requested to assist
him
in the execution of his duties". There was
then a space for a name,
under
which was written
"Head
of Depart-
ment".
The
name
of the firm was then repeated together with its
address.
The
card
also bore aCrown inside two concentric circles.
The
defendant in evidence said
that
he was a private detective
and
the proprietor
of
the Civil Investigation Department,
and
that
he
and
his staff used similar cards in the course
of
their enquiries
when required to produce proofof identity, sometimes by the public
but
mostly by the police.
The
defendant pointed
out
that
the
card
he
had
when questioned by the police was a blank card,
and
that
the ones used by himself
and
his staff bore his signature as the head
of
the firm.

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