ATTEMPTED MURDER.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18237, 22 November 1924, Page 8

ATTEMPTED MURDER.

JEFFERYS SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS' IMPRISONMENT. "I am satisfied from. the. whole evidence that the prisoner did, not act on a sudden uncontrollable impulse or anything of that nature. The whole of tho circumstances, as shown in. tho evidence, indicate a carefully thoughtout plan." With these words his Honour Mr Justice Adams, at the Supreme Court yesterday .sentenced. John Edward Jcffcrys to fifteen years' imprisonment for attempted murder of J)is wife by pushing her over a cliff at Glentui.

.Jefferys liacl been found guilty of tJI6 charge on Thursday. Mr \V. J. Hunter, who appealed for ; the prisoner, said tliat Jefferys. was the son of Mr Silas Jefferys, of (Southbrook, m-liu died six year.-? ago. Tho prisoner's mother was therefore a •widow who now Carried on a contracting business with the prisoner's assistsince. Joffcrys had tried t*> maintain, his mother, his widowed sister and his own familv of' children. The police had reported unfavourably against Jefferys. The tono of tho police report was probably due to tho fact that the neighbourhood was horrified at the offence and was s'gainst him. .Jefferys iiad ; a good war discharge front tho Main Body, and thi9 proved that tho suggestion of his-hav-ing v-ancreal disease was untrue. There was 110 evidence in regard tp tho allegations mentioned in the police report. His Honour agreed that the allegations should bo disregarded. Mr Hunter, continuing, said that there were' reports that Jefferys had eon© about with Maoris. Jefferys had been pig-lutnting with Maoris and had driven Maoris to football matches.'. Ju any case there> was nothing wrong with consorting with Maoris. Counsel submitted in answer to the suggestion, that tho act was premeditated, that there was nothing to show th;it this was true. Jefferys said that when his wife went over the cliff ho realised thab he had done wrong and went to her assistance. He would ask his Honour to tako a lenient view of tho crime, which was unpremeditated. llis Honour s-;id lie had given the case careful consideration and jTn the terms quoted abovo sentenced Jefferys to lo ycas«' imprisonment.