Lower than the Brute Creation

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3759, 7 March 1907, Page 3

Lower than the Brute Creation

Palmerston, Yesterday.

Thomas John Lesley .was charged with an offence upon his daughter, a girl under eight years oi age. He was found guilty. His Honour, addressing the prisoner, said he had listened with attention to counsel’s remarks, but was unable to find that there were any mitigating circumstances at all in the case. He had been guilty of one of the grossest offences known to the law. The Legislature had fixed a maximum penalty for such an offence, the period being the same upon whichever count sentence was passed, and his Honour could see no reason for not imposing the full penalty upon the prisoner before him. He had taken into consideration that the man had used no actual violence to the child ; he had done his worst to corrupt her, but had not been guilty of actual cruelty. For that reason he would be spared the degradation of the lash, but he would be sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment with hard labour, the maximum.