SERIOUS OFFENCES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2364, 3 December 1908, Page 2

SERIOUS OFFENCES.

SEVERE REMARKS BY A JUDGI

[Press Association. 3

AUCKLAND, Dee. 2. Five persons appeared before the Supreme Court this morning, and were sentenced for sexual offences upon children. Mr. Justice Edwards remarked upon the increase in this crime, pmd noted that the last two grand juries had advocated most drastic punishment. Reginald William Service, charged with- attempted rape on a title girl, vvtis sentenced to seven years’ hard labor, with two flogging of 26 lashes. The prisoner added, “And may you drop stone dead before you pass another sentence.” lie was promptly removed from the Court. Thomas John .Gedye, a. youth,' not well balanced mentally, wa s sentenced to one years’ imprisonment for indecent assault. An. old man named James William Adamson declared that the case was a pure fabrication against him. The judge said he was rightly convicted. It was 'absolutely shocking for an old man like accused, with one foot in the grave, to be ms km lilting ilitUc children. His extreme old age and weakness would make it brutal to in filet a flogging, so tlui t would he remitted, but sufficiently deterrent pun .iihment must be given. He souten cod him to three years’ hard labor. .A

pica ior mercy was put in on behai of Harry Roland Frost, on til:. ground that the jury found him guilty of intent to commit an assauili. The judge auid the jury had allowed their feelings of mercy to outwoig; their discretion. There was no doubt the full crime had been committed. He could only deal with with it r. intent, but were it in his power h< would order a (logging, following tin recommendaton of the .grand jur> both at the last and the present sit tings. The maximum of two years, which the judge said wa s quite madequite, was imposed. Sentencing Henry Thompson, found guilty of ten offences of indecent exposure, tin judge said the offences were most disgusting. So serious were they that they were made indictable, so tbathe punishment of whipping might be added. By a curious oversight o; the_ Legislature ,it was not m hi power to order that punishment, because the Crimes Act says whippin:. shall not be ordered any offender ove: 16-years of age. The extreme penalty was one year for csich offence. The judge ordered two montlis for each, a total of 20 months. •!