Shocking Cases.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 114, 23 May 1901, Page 2

Shocking Cases.

[Special to Timks. | Auckland, last night. Another shocking case came before tho Supreme Court to-day. A grey-haired old man named Hugh Madden, stated to bo between 56 and 60 years of age, pleaded guilty to a charge that he did carnally know a girl named Hilda Grundy,' under ten years of age.' His Honor, in passing sentence, said that this was one of the most horrible eases he had ever had before him. Prisoner had had intercourse with a child only five years of age. What possible temptation there could be for a man, with the feelings of a man, to attempt anything of the kind with a little child was beyond His Honor’s understanding. There had lately been a deluge or epidemic of cases of this sort, assaults on women and children, and this was a particularly horrible one, the victim being a mere baby. In this case if it could have been shown that the prisoner was aware that he was suffering from a disease at the time he committed the offence it would have made the case worse. Statements that he did not know were some small mitigation. These crimes were becoming so serious that it became the duty of Judges to impose heavy sentences. A presentation to the effect that the sentences hitherto passed in these cases were not. severe enough had been made to him yesterday by the Grand Jury. If it had not been for the prisoner’s age he would have inflicted a flogging in addition to the punishment he was about to imp'ose. He would spare the prisoner a flogging solely on account of his age, but he must pass a heavy sentence for the crime committed. The. prisoner was sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment with hard labor.