A RECKLESS MOTORIST

Taranaki Daily News, 27 March 1916, Page 8

A RECKLESS MOTORIST

TWELVE MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT. At the Supreme Court at Nelson, before Mr. Justice Dcnnistpn, Henry Lei Talbot came up for sentence in connection with'the Richmond raUv.av crossing motor-car acicdent, which rijii'.ted in the death of a girl. Air. C. J. Tta.-i.-y. who appf.'irel for the prisoner, asked his Honor'to, a* fur as could find it possible, deftl leniently wlrh the prisoner, who was quite young—only 21 years .of age. The prisoner was unfortunate in that the girl, the victim of the accident, was of- exec lin'rly' weak constitution, and it transpired at the inquest that had she be.en of' normal constitution she would not have succumbed to her injuries. His Honor said be cpuld not take that into consideration. If the car had not come into collision with the tj'ain she would not have received the injuries from which she had died. In passing sentence upon the prisoner, Mr. Justice Denniston said; "You have been convicted of negligence—in effect, of recklessness—which has led to the death of a fellow creature. There is, of course, no suggestion in .your case of malice or ill-will towards the person killed, or of any evil design. Vou are a young man, and you have received an excellent character. ; The consciousness of the result of your act should be, and I have I(o'doubt is, a substantial punishment. Punishnlent, however, is not nowadays inflicted as vindictive or retributory', but as a' deterrent either to the individual punished or for the purpose of deterring others from committting the same offence. The reckless use of motor cars is unfortunately extremely common, and it is necessary, that it should be understood'that when its results bring those indulging in it within the purview of the law, it must be severely dealt with. I cannot accept the proposition of your counsel that, the loss of a human, life aft the result "of recklessness such as yours can be met by a pecuniary penalty. Giving the fullest consideration to the strong recommendation of mercy of the jury, the lowest sentence that I feel warranted in inflicting is that yon be. imprisoned for twelve months. Looking, at the fact that there is no element of.'A'ice or criminal tendency in your act, and that I do not \vi?h unnecessarily to load your future life, I shall not add to your sentence of imprisonment the ignominy of hard labor. The sentence ojT the Court, therefore, is that yon be imprisoned for twelve months without bard labor." Continuing, his Honor said: ''That is all I have to say to you officially, but 1 wish to say this to you unofficially: There is, as I have said, no element of rice or criminal tendency In your conduct. There is, therefore, nothing to prevent your sharing in any honest enterprise or associating or working with' any other man. If you are prepared to offer to expiate your offence against society by serving your country in present conditions, you can bring the fact under tho notice of the authorities. Speaking personally, I' shall be willing to express my sympathy with you in anv such application." The Nelson Colonist understands that Talbot has offered himself for active sevvica, . - '"