SUPREME COURT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2932, 18 November 1916, Page 7

SUPREME COURT

PRISONERS SENTENCED. The Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) had before him yesterday in the Supreme Court two prisoners for sentence. Thomas Ji'Nnmara, foimd yuilty of indecent assault on a male, was sentenced to five yours' imprisonment, and declared" a habitual criminal. His Honour, addressing the prisoner, saiil that apart from convictions in.the Magistrate's Court, prisoner had five convictions in the Supremo Court, and during the last ten years and fcivo months had spent nine years and eleven months in gaol, "i'ou are liable for the present offence," remarked His Honour, ''to ten years' imprisonment and a Hogging, but T am not going to be harsh with you, because this is your first sexual offence. You will- be declared a habitual criminal, so that the Prison Board can ileal with you. There is a law point that I have reserved for you; I don't know that there is much in it, but,l make it my duty to reserve a law point when such'exists." James A. Webster, who pleaded guilty in the Magistrate's Court to the theft of money from the Upper Hutt Town Board, was next brought forward for sentence. His Honour said ho had studied prisoner's case, and bad decided he could not grant him probation; at the same time the prisoner had hitherto borne 1 a good character, and it would ' not be right to send him to gaol to mix with criminals. "You will be sentenced to eight months' detention in the AY'aipa Prison Camp, where there are only lir-it offenders."