PIHA CRIME

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 June 1939, Page 8

PIHA CRIME

SENTENCES ON CONVICTED MEN McKAY GETS FOUR YEARS IN GAOL. TALBOT TO BE IMPRISONED FOR TWO YEARS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND. This Day. In the Piha case, sentences were passed today by Mr. Justice.. Fair. On the charge of interfering with a human body, Gordon Robert McKay was sentenced to twelve months’ imprisonment and James Arthur Talbot to six months’ imprisonment. On the arson charge, McKay was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment and Talbot to 18 months’ imprisonment. The total sentences, are: McKay, four years; Talbot, two years. In all cases the sentences are to imprisonment with hard labour.

At the conclusion of the Supreme i Court hearing ,the jury, after a retireI ment of more than five hours, found Gordon Robert McKay, aged 43, alias Tom Bowlands, wool and hide dealer, and James Arthur Talbot, aged 38, labourer, guilty on the following charges; (1) That, on or about February 12, they wilfully set fire to a dwelling-house, thereby committing arson; (3) that, on or about February 10; they interfered with a dead, human body.. .. They found both accused not guilty on a further charge of conspiring by deceit to defraud the Mutual Life and Citizens Insurance Company, Limited, Sydney, of £.25,500 by representing that McKay was.dead.