SUPREME COURT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2356, 17 November 1921, Page 3

SUPREME COURT.

A BOOKMAKER FOUND GUILTY

Christchurch, Last Night

At the Supreme Court, Thomas Long was found guilty on a charge of having carried on the business of a bookmaker, with the strongest recommendation to mercy. Sentence was deferred. Donald Scott was acquitted on a charge of manslaughter of .lames Nathan Abraham on September l;>!h. Accused was driving a motor, and deceased was riding a push-bike, and collided at the intersection of a street in the city.

AX EXTRAORDINARY CASE.

Christchurch, Last Niglil

AI the Supreme Court to-day, John Leonard was charged with un lawfully carnally knowing a female inmate of Sunnyside Mental Hospital, being an offence under the Mental Defectives Act. The Crown’s case was that on December 20th, 1920, accused visited his wife at Sunnyside, and was allowed to take her for a walk in the grounds, when he had intercourse with her. On September 21st, 1921, the woman had given birth to a child.- Counsel for the defence moved to quash the indictment under section 399 of the Crimes Act, on the ground Min! there was no crime disclosed in the indictment. The section under which the prosecution was laid applied to patients not only in mental hospitals, but outside such institutions if the patients were under the oversight of the mental hospital authorities. A further argument was that the law would make it criminal to consummate a marriage. He also submitted that there was no eugenic principle suggested in the Act. The provision was intended for the protection of the inmates. His Honour, Mr Justice Adams, reserved the points raised for consideration by the Court of Appeal. The jury found the accused guilty, “with a Strong recommendation to mercy, as we believe that the act was committed through ignorance of the law, and also the laxity of authorities in not warning the man at the time of his visit, or when lie was allowed to go out with his wife.” 'l’lie accused was admitted to bail on his own recognisance, to surrender at the criminal sessions to he held following the next sitting of the Court of Appeal.

BOOKMAKER FOUND GUILTY,

Fred Dacre was found gnilty of carrying on the business of a bookmaker, with a strong recommendation to mercy. “I might say, on behalf of the jury,” added the foreman, “that none of them thought it was very serious.” Sentence was deferred until Friday.