SUPREME COURT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 277, 12 August 1918, Page 7

SUPREME COURT

PRISONERS SENTENCED

THEFT FROM A WAREHOUSE

Iu the Supremo Court on Saturday morning, His Honour tho Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) had bel'oro him a unlabel' of prisoners for sentence. Mr. P. S. K. Maeassey, of tho Crown Law Office, appeared for the Crowu. George James Selway and Michael Kelly, tho latter found guilty of breaking and entering and thei't from a warehouse in Wellington, and tho former oi receiving stolen goods, were placed in tho dock.

Mr. H. F. O'Leary appeared for Solway, and called evidence'to prove good character. Counsel read testimonials of character. Addressing His Honour, Mr. O'Leary said that Selway had not previously been before tho Court, and had always hold a good character; he asked that ho be given probation, or at least that ho be ordered to come up for senteneo.

■ His Honour said that Selway stood in a special position, as ho was a eccoud-hand dealer, and was in a position of trust. However, the jury had acquitted him on tho moro serious charge, and had brought hint in guilt/ of receiving stolen goods. His Honour said that ho could not give probation, but would impose a light sentence. Selway was sentenced lo twelve months' imprisonment, and Michael Kelly, against whom there was a long list of previous convictions, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment. William M'Bride, who wad convicted during tho week of stealing a sum of money from a dwelling-houso at Petone, and whose record was a bad one, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment. Anders Andersen, found guilty of assaulting an elderly man named Hickey in the Queen's Private Hotel, and causing him actual bodily harm, wus next placed in tho dock. He attacked the man with a knife, atid caused a serious wound.

Mr. P. W. Jackson, who appeared for the accused, asked that probation bo granted, but His Honour said that ho could ncc do that. Tho man had been drinking, and the report was that lie was continually drinking. "I am not going to sentence him to imprisonment with hard labour, but place him under the control of the Prisons Board, who will be able to give him probation." His Honour sentenced Andersen to eighteen months' rolorinative treatment, and ordered him to he sent to Ptiparoa.

William Donald Stirling, who was convicted on Friday of carnally knowing a girl under the' ago of sixteen, and whom the jury strongly recommended to mercy, was next brought forward: -Mr. O'Leary, who appealed for accused, pointed out that the prisoner was tinder 21 yjars of age. and, looking at all the conditions of tho case, it was not so serious as such cases generally were. Furthermore, the prisoner was very frank in his statemont and, most important,, the jury strongly recommended him to mercy. He asked His Honour, in view of all. this, to treat the prisoner with leniency. Tho prisoner was sentenced to six months' imprisonment with hard labour. Lawrence Egmoni; AVuidsoi 1 and William Claude Bright, two youths, had pleaded-'guilty at Levin to breaking and entering. Both the boys were previously at Weraroa Training Farm, and Hi's Honour warned them that their records entitled them to be declared habitual criminals. However, ho would not do that, and sentenced each of t'hem to two years' reformative' treatment at lnvercargill. ~ Richard Harold Edwin Giles, another youth, who had also been at Weraroa, pleaded guilty at Pulmeraton North to two charges of theft. His Honour, addressing lite lad, warned him that he had entered on a criminal career. He had already been convicted on ten charges of theft. If ho appeared in Court again, he would declare him a habitual criminal. His Honour sentenced prisoner to two years' reformative treatment. Albert Baxter, who pleaded guilty at Palmerstou to altering a military certificate of the First Division to one of the Second 'Division, 'was the last of the prisoners to be sentenced. Baxter said bo committed the forgery in order to get work-. His Honour ordered him to come up for sentence when called upon, and said he would hear nothing more of the matter if he went back and worked for tho military authorities, and paid JK towards the cost of this prosecution.