CEDH · CASELAW;DECISIONS;DECCOMMISSION;ENG — 6 septembre 1989

.sDD6737AE { font-size:11pt } .s211D6B00 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; line-height:normal; widows:0; orphans:0; font-size:8.5pt } .sBB9EE52A { font-family:Arial }                            Application No. 12769/87                         by Scott STEVENS                         against the United Kingdom             The European Commission of Human Rights sitting in private on 6 September 1989, the following members being present:                   MM.   C.A. NØRGAARD, President                      J.A. FROWEIN                      S. TRECHSEL                      F. ERMACORA                      G. JÖRUNDSSON                      A.S. GÖZÜBÜYÜK                      A. WEITZEL                      J.C. SOYER                      H. DANELIUS                      G. BATLINER                      H. VANDENBERGHE                 Mrs.   G.H. THUNE                 Sir   Basil HALL                 MM.   F. MARTINEZ                      C.L. ROZAKIS                 Mrs.   J. LIDDY                 Mr.   L. LOUCAIDES                   Mr.   H.C. KRÜGER, Secretary to the Commission           Having regard to Article 25 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms;           Having regard to the application introduced on 5 April 1986 by Scott STEVENS against the United Kingdom and registered on 9 February 1987 under file No. 12769/87;           Having regard to:        -   reports provided for in Rule 40 of the Rules of Procedure of         the Commission;        -   the Commission's decision of 15 July 1988 to bring the         application to the notice of the respondent Government         and invite them to submit written observations on its         admissibility and merits ;        -   the observations submitted by the respondent Government on         3 November 1988 ;        -   the failure of the applicant to submit observations in reply ;        -   the information provided by the applicant's representative on         5 June and 26 July 1989 ;           Having deliberated;           Decides as follows:   THE FACTS           The applicant is a British citizen, born in 1945, who at the time of lodging his application was detained in HM Prison Wandsworth, London.   He is represented before the Commission by Mr.   A. Logan, Solicitor, Messrs George E. Baker and Co., Solicitors, Guildford. This is his fifth application to the Commission.           In the present case he complained to the Commission of conditions of detention and treatment in prison, in particular the censorship of 16 of his letters, the verification of his correspondence with his solicitors, the photocopying of his mail, strip search procedures, access to the prison governor, books and exercise facilities, conditions of detention in police cells, the retention of some of his clothes, wrist watch, food, saccharin and red pens, and an alleged assault.   He was discharged from prison on 9 September 1988.   PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE COMMISSION           The application was introduced on 5 April 1986 and registered on 9 February 1987.   After a preliminary examination of the case by the Rapporteur, the Commission considered the admissibility of the application on 15 July 1988.   It decided to give notice of the application to the respondent Government, pursuant to Rule 42 para. 2(b) of the Rules of Procedure, and to invite the parties to submit written observations on the admissibility and merits of parts of it.   The Government submitted their observations on 3 November 1988.   The applicant was granted legal aid on 3 February 1989 by the President of the Commission.           The applicant has not submitted any observations on admissibility and merits.   On 5 June 1989 the applicant's representative requested an adjournment of the application sine die as the applicant had been arrested, charged and convicted of further criminal offences, but he did not know the applicant's whereabouts. The Commission refused this request on 8 July 1989 and set a final deadline of 31 August 1989 for the submission of the applicant's observations.   On 26 July 1989 the applicant's representative informed the Commission that the applicant had been conditionally released from detention and had absconded, failing to appear in court when he should have done.   He still had no idea of the applicant's whereabouts. Nothing has been heard from or about the applicant since.   REASONS FOR THE DECISION           The Commission notes that the applicant has not submitted any observations on the admissibility and merits of his application and that his present whereabouts are unknown.   In these circumstances, it concludes that the applicant has lost interest in his application to the Commission.   Moreover, it finds no reasons of a general character affecting the observance of the Convention which require the further examination of the case.           For these reasons, the Commission           DECIDES TO STRIKE THE APPLICATION OFF ITS LIST OF CASES.      Secretary to the Commission           President of the Commission                 (H.C. KRÜGER)                        (C.A. NØRGAARD)