Regina v. Peter Sorry.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1029, 28 January 1882, Page 2

Regina v. Peter Sorry.

A considerable amount of public interest was taken in this trial. During the hearing of the case there was a large attendance at the Court. According to arrangement His Honor Judge Kenny, the District Judge, passed sentence on Wednesday morning at half-past 10 o’clock. The Court was crowded at 10 o’clock, many having thought that to be the opening hour. At the appointed time the prisoner was placed in the dock, and His Honor proceeded with the case. The prisoner seemed to be much affected at the position he was in ; the air of indifference that he had assumed during the trial had disappeared. His daughter and wife were present when sentence was

passed. The prisoner made no reply in answer to the usual question whether he had anything to say why sentence should not be inflicted. Mr Finn, prisoner's connsei moved for an arrest of judgment upon the grounds stated by him on the previous day._ His Honor; If you are arguing upon an arrest of judgment you must argue de novo. Mr Finn. The offence firstly created by the statute is improperly laid in the indictment; and secondly, the prisoner is charged with having committed more than one offence in each count in the indictment. These were the new grounds of moving for the arrest of judgment. Mr Finn quoted thecase of Lindsay v. Walker, page lit), vol. 1, 1874, A’kio Zealand Jurist. His Honor; If you are dissatisfied with my judgment you can move for a writ of error to have it set aside. You must imagine me a very weak person ; to alter my views unless you can give me some authorities other than those produced yesterday for so doing. If you can only produce me that one authority I am not so vacillating as to take a different view. The Legislature does not create two separate offences by the terms “taking or converting,”' used in the indictment. Mr Finn : The statute says “ taking or converting,” the indictment says “ taking and converting.” His Honor: Do you want to call any witnesses as to character ? Mr Finn : We have none here, but we can get some. The Judge then addressed the prisoner. The verdiet, His Honor said, was one with which no person of common sense who had heard the evidence but would coincide. He would endeavor to make some allowance for tho weakness of human nature. It was possible that when the knowledge preyed upon the prisoner’s mind that there was money in the box, his cupidity got the better of him. That the value of the property stolen was considerable should be taken into consideration. The prisoner had stolen a large quantity of bank notes. There was also the conviction against tho prisoner of fraudulent bankruptcy, and in that case the prisoner had shown a deal of cunning. The sentence of the Court was that the prisoner should undergo a period of two years' imprisonment with hard labor in Her Majesty’s Gaol in Napier. The prisoner was then removed.