A DIFFICULT CASE.
HOUSEBREAKING AND THEFT. “A FORaVI 0F KLEMTOMANIA.” (Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. The suggestion that prisoner suffered from a form of k'leptomania was made by Mr Justice Northcroft when sentencing Harry Thomas Betts, aged 38, ii'or housebreaking and theft (four charges), housebreaking with intent to commit theft (four charges), and attempted housebreaking with intent to commit theft (two charges). Betts was sentenced to three years with hard labour. “Yours is a very difficult case,” said the Judge to Betts. “You are Before me for sentence on 'lO separate charges and have admitted breaking into 24 different houses. You have a long list. You have had reformative detention for three years, and recently 15 months hard labour." You had only been released when you set out to commit this series of burglaries. They are not of a dangerous character; but rather an aggravated form of sneakthieving. “It seems to be a form of kleptomania, but as society IS ordered at present there is no adequate treatment for this condition. You cannot harry the community in this way. You will be sentenced to three years’ hard 13.bour.”
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AG19360615.2.58
Bibliographic details
Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 207, 15 June 1936, Page 6
Word Count
189A DIFFICULT CASE. Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 207, 15 June 1936, Page 6
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