INDECENT ASSAULT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2810, 13 November 1924, Page 2

INDECENT ASSAULT.

i’ll UK 10 YEARS FOR SNOW. “The (iraml Jury deprecates the prevalence of sexyal crime parlicularly agaiiisi young children, and asks His Honour to make a recommendation to the authorities with a view to a suitable method being evolded for jhe I real men I of such criminals.” This recommendation was placed before His Honour, Mr Justice MacGregor, at the Supreme Court,, Palmerston N. by the (iraml Jury when returning a true bill nugainst William Snow, alitis Height, alias ('litis. Snow, who appeared yesterday to answer charges that on October 27, 1024, at iMakino, he did indecently assault a girl 5 years of ago, and also that- on the same date he indecently assaulted a girl of 71 years of age. Two charges of attempted carnal knowledge were also preferred. The Crown Prosecutor, Mr F. H. Cooke, conducted the case for the Crown, white the accused was not represented bv counsel. Snow questioned the various witnoses closely, and at the conclusion of the evidence, addressed the jury with a somewhat disconnected -dory of the circumstances surrounding the t/ime. He had, he said, not been to blame for what had occurred.

His Honour then summed up and advised the jury to disregard the charges of attempted carnal knowledge, but to concentrate upon the indecent assault. The evidence, in llis Honour's opinion, was perfectly clear and lie suggested that the jury need not necessarily retire. The jurymen, after being out for 12 minutes, returned with a verdict

of guilty in both cases, with a recommendation that the prisoner be examined as to liis mental condition. His Honour said that Ibis class of criminal constituted a difficult problem. Curiously enough the Grand Jury, when returning a tine bill against accused, had recommended that some treatment should be evolved for this class of prisoner. It would be a difficult task to carry that recommendation into effect, but His Honour would be pleased to submit if to the Minister of Justice.

if may have been that the prisoner was unable to restrain himself, but if this was so, there was even greater need for examination and for him to be kept in confinement. Snow was sentenced to three years’ hard labour on each charge, the sentences to be concurrent.

The asked if His Honour did not think six years “was a bit too strong” for a first offence, but when His Honour explained that the sentences were concurrent and that lie would at the most serve three years, he appeared quite relieved and murmured: “Thank you, your Honour.”