WAR WOUND AND CRIME

Evening Star, Issue 19796, 21 February 1928, Page 11

WAR WOUND AND CRIME

AN INJURY TO THE BRAIN INTERESTING LONDON CASE An ex-serviceman, whq was stated to have become a criminal owing to a war wound, provided an interesting case for the consideration of a London court recently. He was Harold Manning, aged twenty-nine, and he was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment for stealing two parcels of second-hand clothing from London Bridge railway station on November 2. It was stated that since June, 1920, Manning had been convicted of theft on a number of occasions. He had also served ft sentence of twelve months’ imprisonment for forging and uttering a. cheque. Detective-sergeant Gcddes said that Manning was the son of a highly respected business man. He was in regular employment at the time when he committed the theft. “ Everyone agrees that this man ought not to bo at large,” the magistrate in passing sentence. ‘‘The question is by whom ought be to be controlled. I have been told that lie ought to be controlled in some institution belonging to tke Ministry of Pensions, but that is a matter for the Ministry. All I have to see is that the public is protected. The only way I have of securing that this man should not he at large is bj sentencing him to a term of imprisonment.” SF.VRRE SHRAPNEL WOUND IN HEAD. Counsel for tho defence said that Manning received a very severe shrapnel wound in tho iiead. Tho case was brought to tho notice of the Ministry of Pensions in 1924. A board considered the matter, and Manning was awarded a pension of 12s a week. Ho next underwent an examination by Sir James Purvos-Stewnrf, the specialist, and owing to this his pension was increased to 24s a week, which represented a 70 per cent, disability allowance. Then Manning went back home, married, and committed a cheque forgery. His punishment for this offence was a sentence of twelve months’ imprisonment. “So far from prison doing Manning any good,” said counsel, “it appears to*have made his condition worse, for two days alter his release another board considered Ids ease, and bis pension was raised to the 80 per cent, disability scale. Before lie received injuries when serving his country this man was a, perfectly decent, respectable young fellow, llis must bo a mental case. It does scorn unfortunate that when this man commits a crime all the Ministry can say to him is: ‘Well, you had better go to prison.’ " Dr Woodcock, neurological inspector of the Ministry of Pensions, said that he arranged an examination of Manning by an independent neurological specialist and an independent surgeon. The decision of the Ministry was that there was no indication that the man should bo accepted for institutional treatment.

QUESTION OF AN OPERATION. " it lias been put to us,” said Dr Woodcock, “that an operation might make this man a law-abiding citizen. Alter a careful examination which has been made, however, wo have decided that we should not be justified in operating on his head.” Counsel said that at the present time no provision was made by the State tor dealing with such cases, except that when they committed crimes they were treated and left to the humanity," which of course was great, of the prison doctors and the prison officials. Dr T. F. Keenan said that an examination showed that there had been actual physical injury to a portion of Manning’s brain. He had no doubt that the constant stealing of bicycles and other petty thefts were the result of the head wounds.

“ f have had other exactly similar cases to deal with in the Army,” ho added. “Many ot them haW wounds exactly similar, and behave in just the same way as this man.”

1 he Magistrate : Can you suggest any treatment ?—The only treatment is control for the rest of his life. Counsel; Is it a good way of controlling him to treat him as a criminal?—No; the man is not a criminal at all.

Is it good or bad for him to be shut up in a place like a prison?—lt might well lead in this case, as it has in others, to tragic circumstances. I feel bound to warn the court about that.