The Letter
, Mr. Bevan's decision not to proceed with an appeal against his conviction at Beaconsfield on two motoring charges makes It possible to comment in public on a feature of the case which has been widely discussed in private. In the course of the hearing Mr. Bevan said that his failure to stop after the accident was dud, in the words of The Times report, to a special reason for avoiding publicity, which he could not make public." This reason he had set out in a letter to his solicitor,' and the letter, by agreement with the prosecution, was handed up to the bench and read by the magistrates. When announcing their finding on the charge of failing to stop, the Chairman, Sir Norman Kendal. said " We have your reasons and for that reason we make the fine in that case one of £5." It often happens that a person accused of an offence is in a position to produce evidence which, though it is favourable to his case, he is anxious for extraneous reasons not to divulg; but, since justice must not only be done but must appear to be done, it is unusual for a court, even if the prosecution raises no objection, to hear such evidence in camera. It would seem, therefore, that Mr. Bevan's letter contained, not only a good reason for his failure to stop, but a good reason why that reason should not be made public. About half a dozen people, not counting its author, have known for a week what was in the letter. I wonder how long it will be before we all know.
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