HEAVY SENTENCES IMPOSED

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2863, 30 August 1916, Page 9

HEAVY SENTENCES IMPOSED

At the Supreme Court yesterday Mr. Justice Chapman presided and passed sentenco on the following prisoners:— v Hellawell and Connor were placed in the dock together. Mr. T. M. Wilford, on behalf of Mward Hcllawell, grocer, of Co'urtenay i'lacc, who was found guilty on a see--unci trial of receiving goods Knowing the same to havo been stolen, called evidenco in proof of good character. Archbishop O'Shea testified that ho had known the prisoner for some years, and had always found liim to bo a hardworking, respectable man. Hcllawell had a wifo and three children, and his homo life had always been excellent. George Lambert, J.P., said ho had lived next door to Hellawell for some time," and ever since ho had known him he found him honest and respectable. His homo life was good and his threo children were extremely well behaved. William Frederick Hnvvey, sales manager for Messrs. Levin and Co., Ltd., stated that his irm started Hellawell in business and found him an ideal customer, honest and straightforward in all his dealings. Hellawell s word could be accepted at all times. Mr. Wilford, addressing the Court, pleaded hard that prisoner should be given a chance. Hellawell, he stated, was 32 yeaxa of age, and this was the first occasion iu his life that he had been before the Court. Counsel maintained that prisoner was not the original thief, neither did he institute the thefts, non was he the original receiver. There was no evidence that he had anything to do with Bray, who stole the goods. He asked that prisoner be given a ohance. Mr. P. J. O'Began appeared for James Connor, who was also found guilty of receiving stolen goods. Addressing .the Court on behalf of prisoner, counsel said Connor had been in Wellington about .13 years, and was a 6tono mason. He was a married man with three children. His wife was suffering from an incurable disease, and was iu a sanatorium, while the ohildren were boarded out. Connor had been employed on tho new Parliament Buildings, and the contractor spoke highly of him as a workman. He pleaded lor lcniencj', and asked the Court to make the punishment as light as possible. His HoDonr, addressing the prisoners, said ho was not thoro to punish, but it was his duty to endeavour to check and discourage crime. Prisoners were men of general good character, and had lived long iu the community. They had apparently used their good character as a uloak, and as purt of the apparatus for tho commission of crime. It was not a matter of impulse, for the crime had been deliberately planned and deliberately carried out. He was obliged to impose a severe penaitj under tho circumstances. Hellawell was sentenced to 2i- years', and Connor to 2- years' imprisonment.

REFORMATIVE TREATMENT. James Henry Bray, who pleaded guilty in the Lower. Court to the theft of patent medicines from the vai'«house of Shnrland and Co., Ltd., and was a witness for the Crown, in the cases against Hellawell and Connor, was next put forward for sentence.

Mr. P. J. O'Rogan, who appeared for him, said that Bray's life was one long struggle against poverty. Bray's father died of minor's phthisis, leaving a wife and family, who wore dependent upon prisoner and his brother. While he (counsel) could not ask sor probation, he urged that a term of reformative treatment would meet the case, and give the prisoner a chanco to recover his selfrespect. His Honour, addressing prisoner, said he was no doubt tempted to enter into the criminal conspiracy, but the fact could not bo overlooked that without any pressure he continued his thefts. The only thing in prisoner's favour was his youth, and counsel's suggestion would be acted upon. Bray was sentenced to be detained for IS months for reformative treatment.

HOUSE-BEEAKING. Charles Thomas Batkin and Frederick Williami Harrison, convicted of breaking, entering, and theft at Feilding, were each sontenoed to be detained for eight months for reformative treatment. The Crown. Prosecutor stated that both prisoners wero connected with racing stables, and were convicted on two charges of housebreaking, and one of burglary. There was a previous conviction against Batkin of uttering a cheque.

THEFT OF MOSEY. Thomas Balfour James Mason, who pleaded guilty of thoft, was represented by Sir. D..Stanloy Smith, who stated that prisoner had been attacked in hi 3 childhood with infantile paralysis which left him a cripple. He was only 23 years of age, and did. not appear to know tho use of money. He was previously bofore tho Court in Christchurch. Counsel said that as prisoner was under 25 years of ago ho could be committed to an industrial institution, and urged that a period of reformative treatment would meet tho case. His Honour adopted this course, and ordered tho prisoner to be detained for 12 months for reformative treatment.

FALSE DECLARATION. Mr. P. .1. O'Began appealed for David Brooks Pinnell, who had been convicted of making a false declaration under the Marriage Act. Counsel explained that Pinnell belonged to'the Expeditionary Force,, and was. in the Featherston Camp. He became infatuated with a young lady who was Ifl years of age, and married her without her parents' consent, nioking a false declaration of age, for the purpose. The matter, counsel urged, was not a very serious one, and he asked His Honour to treat it as such. Pinnell was ordered to come up for sentence when called upon.