Scotsman Archive: Death penalty. Bill to secure abolition 5 April, 1924

PRESENTED by Mr Climio and supported by Mr Lansbury, Mr Hayes, Mrs Wintringham, and Miss Jowson, the text was issued yesterday of the Abolition of Capital Punishment Bill. The general object of the Bill is to abolish capital punishment and to substitute other penalties.

In the case of murder or treason the penalty proposed to be thus substituted is penal servitude for life, and the sentence is to be a fixed sentence, subject to the qualification that if the jury have recommended the convicted person to mercy the Court of Criminal Appeal may reduce the term of penal servitude to any shorter term not less than ten years. In cases other than murder or treason, the Court may pass, a sentence of penal servitude for life or of imprisonment, with or without hard labour, for any term not exceeding two years.

The Bill does not affect any liability under naval or military law. The Bill extends to Scotland, but not to Northern Ireland.

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