Daily Express, London, 17 May 1958, p.5

Express Parliamentary Reporter

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MAGISTRATES should favour “a little less binding over, and a little more bending over” for lawbreaking youths, an M.P. urged yesterday.

Other suggestions from the M.P., Mr. James Dance (Tory, Bromsgrove), a 51-year-old Old Etonian:–

IMPOUND the “revolting” suits of trouble-making Teddy Boys until they pay their fines.

CUT OFF their “revolting Teddy Boy curls” — and go on cutting them until they have paid.

The House of Commons was debating a Bill to amend the Metropolitan Police Act (1839) by increasing the maximum penalty for threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour — at present 40s. — to £10 for a first offence, and £20 for subsequent offences.

Parents pay

Mr. Geoffrey Stevens (Tory, Langstone) said that fines on young people were often paid by their parents.

Mr. Dance agreed that there was something to be said for this, because parents were themselves often to blame for their children’s conduct.

But the guilty youths should be made to suffer too — and he suggested an addition to the Bill to let the fines be taken from their pay packets.

The Bill was given a third reading.