HIDEOUS CRIME SAYS JUDGE

Chronicle (Levin), 24 October 1946, Page 5

HIDEOUS CRIME SAYS JUDGE

FATHER WHO SHOT DAUGHTER CHRISTCHC1UTI. Oct. 25. John Farrell, aged 55, farmer, oi Woodend, was sentenced by tlie Hou Mr. .Justice Smith in the Bupreme Couri to imprisonment for lifo with har>. labour, after he was found guilty 0 murdering his daughter, Denise Bery Herbert Farrell, at Kaiapoi on July 2s "You have been rightly convictm for the hideous crime of liiurdering youi own daughter," said his llonour, when passing sentence. Tlie Crow'n evidence stated tluu Denise had left her father's farm a; Woodend to keep house for her brother in-law, John Edward Doran, aftei Doran's wife went for an extende;' holiday to Auckland. Doran admittoi that he and his wife had a nuniber oi arguments mainly about nioney matters On the morning of July 2S John Farrel visited Doran's home at Kaiapoi an: after discussing the retiirn of Denist to the farm, Farrell had stated tha; there was talk in the district about hb daughter ainl Doran living together Denise, it was stated, was unmarriec but had oue clnld and Doran had threi children. The Orown held that after o diseussion at the house Farrell iiroduccd a Luger pistol and fired two sliots, botli of wliich hit Denise. Farrell said to the police soon aftcrwards: "Lock nu up. I have shot mv girl. " On the wa\ to Christchurch he denied killing Denise. Defence couusel held that Farrell suffered eoncussion in a scuff'le with Doran after the firing of the shots and because of subsecpient forgetfulness did not know what he was sa.ving. When he recovered from the eoncussion 1k denied firing the shots. The defencc submitted that there was not suffieienl evidence to prove that Doran did not fire the shots. Doran's reason for shooting the woman would be that she had broken up his home. A patholo gist's report would show that Denise had been pregnant. Doran denied that he was responsible for her condition.