SUPREME COURT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 22, 21 October 1918, Page 7

SUPREME COURT

PRISONERS SENTENCED

AN AUSTRALIAN CRIMINAL

His Honour Mr. Justice Chapman was on the bench at- the Supreme Court on Saturday inoniiii , -;, and had before him three prisoners i'nr sentence. Mr. P. S.. K. Macasscy appeared for tin! Crown.

(icorgu 'Williams, who pleaded guilty nt Fcatherston tn the. theft of n leather hag and 'contents, was Ilio first to ;i])pear. Williams pleaded for ;'• chance. Mr. JliKinssej- said Williams came to Now'Zealand'in Wβ, and was reported to the police as a low criminal, and known as belonging to tho "Sydney Push." The ])risoner, who was about 4S years of age, hada record of twelve convictions in Australia, and eight coiivhtions in Xew Zealand. Prisoner received one sentence, of five years in Australia, and his convictions were for various offences., from that- of heiiis a rogue and a- vajnajiond to assaulting tho police and burglary. His Honour snid that prisoner, was convicted of robbery with violence, choking a man with intent, to commit robbery. His Honour, continuim:, said that prisoner had « chanee- io reform, but failed to do so. Williams was-sen-tenced to six years' imprisonment with bard labour, ' and was declared an habitiia} criminal. Torben Alfred Piichter, who pleaded snilty in the Magistrate's Court. Wellington, to havinrr received £2-1 in terms reouirin;; him to account for same to Karly Tiros., and failiu.u; to do hi, asked for lenicnl. treatment. Jlr. Macassey.saiiJ that, iva_s a native- of ])eimiark and arrived in New Zealand in Ml- , . He worked in a grocery store in ]916-17, but was dismissed for failing to account for moneys. Ho was later convicted Mastertou. He was a well-educated man, and iras f-'aid to liavc been a lawyer in Denmark. His Honour -said be must make the prisoner feel the effects' of his olfeirje. and sentenced him to imprisonment, to bo followed by three years' reformative treatment-. Charles Ran dell Morris, who pleaded guilty to bavins fraudulently omitted to account for certain Custom rebates totalling £55 Ik. Cd. to tho Jinn of Hope Gibbons, Sons, and J. B. Clarksou, Ltd., 'was the last of tho trio. Mr. A. W. Blair, who appeared for tho prisoner, said that there were several offences committed over a period, and the amount stolen was £55 9s. 6d., but tho whole amount bad been repaid. Morris was 29 years of age and had hitherto held a very good reputation. The probation officer's report was as favourable' as he could make it, and Mr. Mills indicated that tho ease was one for lenient treatment. Mr. Blair, continuing, .said that ho knew there was n difficulty in gianiinji; probation in eases where there we.ro ■several offences.

His Honour: System. Mr. Blair said that the case was one in which clemency should be exercised. Morris was subject to epileptic seizures, and a few months ago there was a serious crisis in the family, and this apparently had an effect on him and lowered his mental power to resist. Since leaving the firm, which he did voluntarily, Morris had been employed by another company, and during the absence of the , managing director was in solo charge of tho concern. The chairman of the company in question was prepared- to say that Morris had carried out his duties satisfactorily, and tho auditors of the company had reported favourably on tho audit. Sir. Macassey stated that the police report w;is entirely .favourable to the prisoner. His Honour said lie was very sorry to have to sentence prisoner 'to a terra of imprisonment. Probation was out of the question, and there was no other method of dealing with prisoner but to pass sentence on him, as something like consistency had to be observed in oases of' this kind. His Honour said he would take into consideration the favourable •reports m mitigation of the sentence. ITo did not think that the epilepsy fcizurcs would account; for the offences being ■comnnttcd. However, he would impose _ the lightest sentence he had over inflicted m Eueli cases, and sentenced the prisoner to eight months' imprisonment.