Year’s Gaol For Manslaughter

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30983, 12 February 1966, Page 3

Year’s Gaol For Manslaughter

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, February 11

A sentence of 12 months’ imprisonment was imposed by the Chief Justice (Mr Justice Wild) in the Supreme Court today on Thomas Docherty, aged 24, a storeman, for manslaughter arising from an incident in the Totara Lodge Hotel, Trentham, on December 20.

Docherty had been found guilty of the manslaughter of Alistair Mclntosh Wilson. “You have killed a man by kicking him in the groin,” His Honour told Docherty. “The Maori who told you in the hotel that that kind of assault would not do in New Zealand was expressing the opinion of the whole community and I hope you remember that for the rest of your life. “I agree you were the victim of an unfortunate environment in Scotland, which was no fault of yours, and 1 appreciate that you have had bad health and bad luck in your attempts to settle into an occupation. “I am very glad to see that since only last August, when

you arrived in New Zealand, where good Scots immigrants are always welcome, you have had a steady job and your employers say your work and conduct have been satisfactory. I believe that you can become a good citizen here.

“But there are two factors in this offence that I can’t ignore. One is that you have already served a sentence of 12 months’ imprisonment in Scotland for assault, but that was four years ago. The other is that by another assault you have caused death.

“I will make the sentence as short as I can and treat the case as one of serious assault.”

Mr W. R. Birks appeared for the Crown and Mr A. J. Ryan for Docherty.