CATTLE-STEALING

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 51, 23 May 1927, Page 1

CATTLE-STEALING

TAUPIRI OFFENCE WAR INJURIES PLEADED SENTENCE DEFERRED Having pleaded guilty at Hamilton to three charges of cattlestealing, John Caughey, aged 33, appeared before His Honour Mr. Justice Herdman for sentence at the Supreme Court this morning. For the prisoner, Mr. Gilfillan pleaded that probation be exteuded. He said that accused had a good war record. Being severely wounded, for a long time his life was despaired of, but eventually he recovered. For some time the probability of his ever regaining his proper mental condition was doubted, and there appeared to be some foundation for the belief in the fact, that although prisoner had no debts, and did not need the proceeds, he stole the cattle without any reason whatsoever.

Prisoner’s brother, said counsel, had agreed to make good the loss of missing cattle,, while his brother-in-law would take him on his farm if probation were granted, and make himself personally responsible for him.

He submitted that it would he in the best interests of prisoner’s wife and family If prisoner were placed under that supervision. Mr. Pa’erson. who appeared tor the Crown, said that the method employed was so ridiculously stupid that the acts were obviously not those of a normal man.

His Honour said he would postpone sentence for a week in order to allow inquiries to be made by the probation officer.