FALSE PRETENCES.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 December 1917, Page 6

FALSE PRETENCES.

THE MEP.CTA NAUGIITON CASE. ACCUSED ADMITTED TO PROBATION Mercla Xtuighton, who was convicted in the Supreme Court on Wednesday 011 a charge of obtaining money by false pretences, was brought up for sentence on Saturday morning. .Air. 11. li. liillin" represented tlie Crown, and Air. L)! Hntchen, on behalf of Mr. O'Dca, appeared for the prisoner. In delivering sentenc.', his Honor said it was with the utmost possible doubt that he had determined to admit the accused to probation. He said the offence of which she had b?en convicted was a most grievous one. It was undoubtedly blackmail of a. most, serious order. It was a serious thing that accused, who was a young woman and the wife of a constable, should lew such blackmail by means of such false pretences. His Honor said he did not even then know that he was not stretching the power of the law in granting the prisoner probation. H e said he ought not to be influenced by feelings of sympathy for oilier people) but he had taken into consideration that accused was the mother_of a child that was alleged to be sickly, and that her husband appeared to be a respectable inan. Prisoner should understand that the leniency shown was not out of consideration for herself on any account. Prisoner was admitted to probation for ft period of three years, on condition that she continued to reside with her husband so long as he was abfe to provide her a hopie, and obeyed his lawful commands. She would also have to pay the costs of the prosecution, amounting to £24 "is Bd. His Honor said that if accused at any time was guiltv of a broach of the terms of his probation, she would be ordered to come up for sentence, and would undoubtedly receive a very substantial tern; of imprisonment.