BETRAYED HIS TRUST.
SCOUTMASTER’S CRIME. THREE YEARS’ IMPRISONMENT. Auckland, Oct. 31. “I look upon this as a very serious ease indeed. The institution with which you have been associated—tins Boy Scout movement —is probably one of the finest institutions of its kind ever founded. Its hnain idea is to inculcate morality, honesty and good citizenship into the minds of its members, and in order to secure that /the authorities are obliged to . invite persons of mature age to fake charge of the boys in the movement and teach them in those directions. You held that appointment, and instead of teaching them, you went the other way about and attempted to teach them serious things that may affect the boys’ whole lives.”
In this manner Mr Justice Reed addressed Thomas John Davies, aged 56) ex-'Scoutmaster, a commission agent and inspector for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, of Tauranga, who came before him in the Supreme Court for sentence on five charges of indecent assault on males. Davies was accustomed to taking the Scouts of his troop on excursions and interfering with them in an indecent manner.
His Honour said that, had the jury not recommended mercy on account of accused’s age, he would have inflicted a penalty much more severe than he intended to. He must make the penalty heavy to warn men associated with such organisations as accused Svas connected with that offences of the natui’e disclosed were treated seriously by the Court. Accused was then sentenced to, three years’ imprisonment.
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Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3711, 1 November 1927, Page 2
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255BETRAYED HIS TRUST. Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3711, 1 November 1927, Page 2
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