CALLOUS MOTORIST.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3780, 17 April 1928, Page 1

CALLOUS MOTORIST.

SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS

Eric Victor Templeton, a young motor driver, was sentenced at Perth, Western Australia, recently, to two years’ imprisonment for the manslaughter of William Charlton Hogg, aged 42, who was killed at Greenmount on the night of February 25, when he was struck and carried 32 yards by a car, of jvhich accused had unlawfully assumed control. No evidence was called for ,the defence. Bartholomew Alexander Nesbit said that he and three other young men were invited by accused to go for a spin in his “boss’s” car. On the way from Perth he noticed the speedometer was registering 60 miles an hour. Just after passing Midland Junction the car went over a bump and lie heard a thud. One of the men said “We’ve hit a joker,” and accused switched the lights off and continued without stopping. Accused later turned the ' car and drove past the spot where the thud had been heard, and where a group of \men were standing, at about 50 miles an hour. In sentencing the accused, the Chief Justice, Sir Robert McMillan, said that this so-called joy-riding had been encouraged by undue leniency of magistrates in the lower Court.