OFFENCE ON CHILD

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 905, 24 February 1930, Page 11

OFFENCE ON CHILD

MENTALITY PLEA FAILS A plea that an ace dent to his head had impaired his mentality, and contributed to his moral lapse, failed to save, William Charles Edwin Dean from being sentenced in the Supremo Court today to three years’ reformative treatment. Dean had admitted indecently assaulting a girl, aged i 1 yvars. Mr. Matthews, for the prisoner, said that until the present Dean had led a clean, hard-working life. He had been married only two years, and was living happily with his wife. Counsel said that Dean was struck on the head by a piece of timber while working in the Civic Theatre, and this caused incipient insanity. Mr. Matthews produced a certificate from Dr. J- i*- Hastings, who considered that a moral lapse might -well be caused bv the accident. He suggested that th« prisoner should be placed in the Wolfe Home for a period. His Honour admitted it was possible the accident might have affected the prisoner’s mental condition, but the circumstances showed that his conduct since the injury had been rational. His Honour commented that offences on young children were becoming common. It was, therefore, impossible to allow prisoner his liberty.

His Honour announced his intention of asking the prison authorities to have Dean mentally examined.