INCEST.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1941, 18 February 1919, Page 3

INCEST.

SEVEN YEARS’ IMPRISONMENT

At the Palmerston Supreme Court session yesterday, hotcre Mr Justice Chapman and a jury, George Samuel Deadman was charged with incest.

In Jus address to dhe jury the Crown Prosecutor said that the J';i< ts In the ease, which he briefly traced, were short and conclusive. The offence was alleged to have taken place at the accused's house in ■Russell Street, Palmerston North. Accused's wire was dead, and ho lived in the house Avith his son and daughter; the latter at that time was aged 151 years. The daughter was keeping house, tor her father (the accused), and since the alleged commission of the oil once she had'given birth to a child. Several witnesses were ealhtd, including the daughter of the accused, who stated that her father had told her to tell the police that a soldier' was to blame, not ho himself. Asked it he had anything to say* the accused read a statement- in which he allaged that his daughter had told him that some man, whose name she did not know, was the cause of her trouble. Accused called no witnesses. In summing up, His Honour said he supposed that the accused’s written statement was tantamount to a denial of the charge for which he was arraigned. It was significant, however, that he bad not made any such denial to the police, and wliy should the girl make such a false accusation against her father, if he were innocent? After a retirement of ten minutes the jury returned with a verdict of guilty. Asked whether he had anything tor say, the prisoner replied: “No, sir;, only that you be as lenient as possible.” Addressing the prisoner, His Honour remarked: “I cannot be lenient in this case; it would be wrong of me if I were so. You have defiled a young girl, probably ruined her future, and you have other daughters. You would be a source of danger to them if permitted liberty. You must be kept out of the way for a long period.” His Honour then passed sentence of seven years’ imprisonment with bard labour.