R v Barrett (George) In performing the duties of his office, an additional superintendent registrar of births, deaths and
marriages appointed pursuant to the provisions of the Registration Service Act 1953 is carrying out
functions of the Crown and is therefore a ‘person serving under the Crown’, within s 1(3)a of the
Prevention of Corruption Act 1906, even though he is not appointed, paid or liable to be dismissed by
the Crown. It follows, therefore, that an additional superintendent registrar is an ‘agent’ for the
purposes of s 1(1) of the 1906 Act, which makes it an offence for an agent, inter alia, corruptly to accept
a gift or consideration as an inducement or reward for doing an act in relation to his principal’s affairs