R v Pate
| Jurisdiction | England & Wales |
| Judgment Date | 11 July 1850 |
| Date | 11 July 1850 |
| Court | State Trial Proceedings |
25 Edw. 3. st. 5. c. 2. The Treason Act
46 & 47 Vict. c. 38. Trial of Lunatics Act, 1883
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Request your trial THEQUEENagainstROBERTPATE. TRIALOFROBERTPATE,ATTHECENTRALCRIMINALCOURT,BEFOREALDERSON,B.,P.ATTESONANDTALFOURD,JJ.,FORASSAULTINGTHEQUEEN,THURSDAY,11thJULY1850. OnJune27th,1850,RobertPate,formerlyalieutenantinthe10thLightDragoons,strucktheQueenontheforeheadwithashortstick,astheroyalcarriagewasbeingdrivenoutoftheyardofCambridgeHouseintoPiccadilly.Patewasindictedunder.5&6Vict.a.51.Evidenceofinsanity(1)wasgiven.Verdict,Guilty.Sentencedtobetransportedforsevenyears. (1).Astothedefenceofinsanity,seetheanswersgivenbythejudgestothequestionsputbytheHouseofLordsafterthetrialofDanielMeNaughton,4St.Tr.N.S.487;also,theTrialofLunaticsAct,1883,46&47Vict.c.38.ThelatercasesarecollectedinRussellonCrimes,vol.I,p.118,6thedit.;seealsoStephens"HistoryoftheCriminalLaw,"vol.2,p.124,andPittLewis"TheInsaneandtheLaw,"1895;andforAmericanauthorities,Bishops"NewCriminalLaw,"es.383-388,andHamiltonandGodkins"SystemofLegalMedicine""TheInsaneandtheLaw,"vol.2,p.217. CENTRALCRIMINALCOURT. BeforeALDERSON,B.,PATTESON andTALFOURD,JJ. July11th,1850. OnJune27th,1850,RobertPate,formerlyalieutenantinthe10thLightDragoons,strucktheQueenontheforeheadwithashortstick,astheroyalcarriagewasbeingdrivenoutoftheyardofCambridgeHouseintoPiccadilly.(a)Hewasapprehended,andbroughtupattheHomeOfficebeforeMr.Hall,theMetropolitanChiefMagistrate,whocommittedhimfortrialunder5&6Vict. c.51.,entitled- "AnActforprovidingforthefurthersecurityandprotectionofHerMajestysperson."(b) (a)SeealsotheaccountinAnu.Reg.1850,Chron.73. (b)AttemptstowoundorinjurethepersonofthesovereignhavebeentreatedasovertactsofthetreasonofcompassingtheKingsdeathundertheTreasonAct,1352,25Edw.3.,st.5.,c.2.,andweremadesubstantivetreasonsbytheTreasonActsof1795and1817,36Geo.3.c.7.and57Geo.3.c.6.Trialsforsuchoffenceswereformerlyattendedwithalltheformalitiesandnotorietyoftrialsfortreason.In1800,afterHatfieldsattemptonthelifeofGeorgeIII.,itwasprovidedby39&40Geo.3.c.93.,thatwheretheallegedovertactoftreasonwastheassassinationoftheKing,oranydirectattemptagainsthisperson,bywhichhislifemightbeendangered,orhispersonsufferbodilyharm,thecaseshouldbetriedwiththesameprocedureasanordinarymurder.Oxfordwas 91500. Wt.27042.Section2providesasfollows: "FromandafterthepassingofthisAct,ifanypersonshallwilfullydischarge,orattempttodischarge,orpoint,aim,orpresentator triedunderthisstatuteforfiringattheQueenonJune10th,1840(4St.Tr.N.S.497),andFrancisforcommittingthesameoffenceonMay30th,1842(ib.1376).OnJuly3th,1842,BeanattemptedtodischargeapistolloadedwithgunpowderandwaddingattheQueen,andwastriedforacommonassault,andsentencedtoeighteenmonthshardlabour(ib.1382).AfewdaysafterBeansattempt,SirRobertPeel,withtheapprovalofLordJohnRussell,introducedthemeasurewhichbecamelawas5&6Viet.c.51.(Ann.Reg.1842,Hist.207209;Hansard,vol.65,pp.19-28,H.C.,andpp.166-171,H.L.).Section1extends39&40Geo.3.c.93.byprovidingthatallcaseswheretheallegedovertactoftreasonisan"attempttoinjureinanymannerwhatsoeverthepersonoftheQueen,"shallbetriedwiththesameprocedureasanordinarymurder.Theobjectofsection2,setoutaboveinthetext,wastoprovideanalternativemethodofdealingwithsuchoffenceswithoutgivingtheprisonerthenotorietyandimportanceconferredbyatrialforhightreason,andalsotopunishmoreadequatelyattempts,suchasBeans,nottechnicallyamountingtotreason.Referringtothewhippingprovisions,LordJohnRussellobservedwhiletheBillwaspassingthroughParliamentthat,asthisnewcrimeofendeavouringtofrightenandalarmtheQueenwastheoffenceofbaseanddegradedbeings,abaseanddegradingpunishmentwasfitlyappliedtoit.OnJune14th,1849,WilliamHamiltonpleadedguiltytoanindictmentundertheActforpresentinganddischargingapistolloadedwithgunpowderattheQueen,andwassentencedtobetransported A 3] TheQueenagainstRobertPate,1850. neartothepersonoftheQueen,anygun,Clerkopenedtheindictment.pistol,oranyotherdescriptionoffirearms,orofanyarmswhatsoever,whetherthesameshallorshallnotcontainanyexplosivesubstanceor d tivmat 1 h11dih es,ruee ela,orsa scargeorcause tobedischarged,orattempttodischarge,orcausetobedischargedanyexplosivesubstanceormaterialneartothepersonoftheQueen,orifanypersonshallwilfullystrikeorstrikeat,orattempttostrikeorstrikeatthepersonoftheQueen,withanyoffensiveweapon;orinanyothermannerwhatsoever,orif.anypersonshallwilfullythroworattempttothrowanysubstance,matter,orthingwhatsoeveratoruponthepersonoftheQueen,withintentinanyofthecasesaforesaidtoinjurethepersonoftheQueen,orwithintentinanyofthecasesaforesaidtobreakthepublicpeace,orwherebythepublicpeacemaybeendangered,orwithintentinanyofthecasesaforesaidtoalarmHerMajesty,or(a)ifanypersonshall,neartothepersonoftheQueen,wilfullyproduceorhaveanygun,pistol,oranyotherdescriptionoffirearmsorotherarmswhatsoever,oranyexplosive,destructive,ordangerousmatter,orthingwhatsoever,withintenttousethesametoinjurethepersonoftheQueen,ortoalarmHerMajesty,everysuchpersonsooffendingshallheguiltyofahighmisdemeanour,and,beingconvictedthereofinduecourseoflaw,shallbeliable,atthediscretionoftheCourtbeforewhichthesaidpersonshallhesoconvicted,tobetransportedbeyondtheseaforatermofsevenyears,ortobeimprisoned,withorwithouthardlabour,foranyperiodnotexceedingthreeyears,andduringtheperiodofsuchimprisonmenttobepubliclyorprivatelywhipped,asoftenandinsuchmannerandformasthesaidCourtshallorderanddirect,notexceedingthrice." CounselfortheCrown:TheAttorney-General(SirJohnJervis),(b)theSolicitor-General(SirJohnRomilly),(c)Ilrelsby,,Bodkin,andClerk. Counselfortheprisoner;Cockburn(d)andHuddleston.(e) forsevenyears(7St.Tr.N.S.1130).OneArthurOConnor,aged18,wasalsotriedundertheActforpresentingapistolattheQueenwithintenttoalarmher,outsideBuckinghamPalaceonFebruary27,1872,aftertheThanks..givingServiceatSt.PaulsfortherecoveryofthePrinceofWales(CentralCriminalCourtSessionPapers,March1872,p.444).Hewassentencedtooneyearsimprisonmentandtwentystrokeswithabirchrod.In1882RoderickMacleanwastriedfortreasonatReadingbeforeaSpecialCommissionforshootingattheQueenattheWindsorRailwayStation,butacquittedonthegroundofinsanity. (a)ThefollowingwordswereintroducedbyLordCampbellintheHouseofLords. (b)AfterwardsChiefJusticeofC.P. (c)AfterwardsMasteroftheRolls. (d)AfterwardsLordChiefJusticeofEngland. (e)AfterwardsaBaronoftheExchequer.[4 INDICTMENT. CentralCriminalCourt,FirstCount. The towit.fjurorsforourLadytheQueenupontheiroathspresent,thatRobertPate,lateoftheParishofSaintJames,iutheCityofWestminster,gentleman,onthe27thdayofJune,intheyearofourLordonethousandeighthundredandfifty,attheparishaforesaid,intheCityofWestminster,andwithinthejurisdictionofthesaidCourt,withacertainoffensiveweapon,thatistosay,astick,whichhethesaidRobertPatethenandtherehadandheld,unlawfully,knowingly,wilfully,andmaliciouslydidstrikethepersonofourLadytheQueen,withintentthereby,thenandthere,toinjurethepersonofoursaidLadytheQueen,againsttheformofthestatuteinsuchcasemadeandprovided,andagainstthepeaceofoursaidLadytheQueen,herCrownanddignity. SecondCount. Andthejurorsaforesaid,upontheiroathsaforesaid,dofurtherpresentthatthesaidRobertPate,onthedayandyearaforesaid,attheparishaforesaid,intheCityaforesaid,andwithinthejurisdictionofthesaidCourt,withacertainotheroffensiveweapon,thatistosay,astick,whichhethesaidRobertPateinhisrighthandthenandtherehadandheld,unlawfully,knowingly,wilfully,andmaliciouslydidstrikethepersonofoursaidLadytheQueen,withintenttherebytoalarmoursaidLadytheQueen,againsttheformofthestatuteinsuchcasemadeandprovided,andagainstthepeaceofoursaidLadytheQuetn,herCrownanddignity. ThirdCount. Andthejurorsaforesaid,upontheiroathsaforesaid,dofurtherpresentthatthesaidRobertPate,opthedayandyearaforesaid,intheCityaforesaid,andwithinthejurisdictionofthesaidCourt,withacertainotheroffensiveweapon,thatistosay,astick,whichhethesaidRobertPateinhisrighthandthenandtherehadandheld,unlawfully,knowingly,wilfully,andmaliciouslydidstrikethepersonofoursaidLadytheQueen,withintentthereby,thenandthere,tobreakthepublicpeace,againsttheformofthestatuteinsuchcasemadeandprovided,andagainstthepeaceofoursaidLadytheQueen,herCrownanddignity. OPENINGSPEECHFORTHECROWN. [TheAttorney.General,inopeningthecase,statedthatneverhadheappearedunderfeelingsofdeeperregret,notonlybecausetheobjectoftheattackmadebytheprisonerwasaladydeservingourloyaltyandattachment,butalsobecauseofthepositionoftheprisoner,whowasthesonofagentlemanofhighrespectability,whohadfilledtheofficeofHighSheriffofhiscounty,andwhohimselfhadheldthecommissionsofHerMajestyascornet 5] TheQueenagatnst andlieutenantinthe10thHussara,(a)andbadforsometimeretiredfromthearmy,andlivedincomparativeprivacyinLondon,alifeofgreatregularity.Itwasnot,however,forthecounselfortheCrowntodilateupontheconductandmotivesoftheprisoneratthisstage,butrathertopresentageneraloutlineoftheevidencetothejury.] OnThursday,the27thofJunelast,aboutthehourofsixoralittleafter,HerMajestylefttheRoyalPalaceinanopencarriage,accompaniedbytheusualattendants,andwiththeRoyalchildren,forthepurposesofpayingavisitatCambridgeHouse.Shearrivedthereaboutaquarterortwentyminutespastsixoclock,anddroveintothegatetomakehergeneralinquiry.(b)AcrowdwasattractedroundthegatesofCambridgeHouseforthepurposeofseeingHerMajestyleavethatplace,andinthecrowdwastheprisoner.AsHerMajestyscarriagecamefromthegatesataslowpace,orstoppedforthepurposeofclearingawaythecrowdandmakingaturnintoPiccadilly,theprisonersteppedforward,andwithacane,whichheheldinhishand,struckHerMajestyupontheforeheadablowofsomeviolencewhichdrewblood,andcausedaconsiderableswelling.ThewoundbledforsometimeafterthearrivalofHerMajestyatthePalace.SirJamesClarkwassentfor;someapplicationwasmadetothewound,andwithherusualself-possessionandpresenceofmind,HerMajesty,beingdesirousofsatisfyinghersubjectsthatnothingserioushadoccurredtoendangerhercomfortorherlife,appearedinpublicthatevening,tothegreatsatisfactionofhersubjects,whohadcauseforcongratulationthatshehadreceivedcomparativelyaveryslightinjury.(c)...
