SUPREME COURT.
PRISONERS SENTENCED.
ELDERLY MAN GETS FIVE YEARS.
GRAVE OFFENCES AT BARRIER.
"I am sorry indeed for you. I am very averse to imposing a term of imprisonment on a man with a record such as you have, but a very definite duty to the public devolves upon me." With this observation, Mr. Justice Blair in the Supreme Court this morning sent Robert William Bailey (50) to serve reformative detention for a period not exceeding five years in respect to four charges of carnal knowledge. Prisoner had pleaded guilty to the crime, which was committed at Great Barrier. It was said oi his behalf by Mr. McLiver that he had lived in isolation, and hitherto had led an honourable life. His Honor said that the case was of such a grave nature that it called for a very severe punishment. If he was wrong in his judgment, it could be corrected by the Prisons Board. NO SECOND CHANCE. A plea for leniency made by William Matthew, a Maori, who had pleaded "■uilty to breaking, entering and theft at Onehunga, was disregarded by Mr. Justice Blair, for the simple reason that at the time he committed the offence he was on probation. His Honor said had it not been for that fact he would probably have given Matthew probation, but" no one got two chances like the one given prisoner. Matthew was sentenced to reformative detention for a period not exceeding two years. FROBATION FOR THEFT. Found guilty of theft at Tararu, near Thames, ° Edward John Taylor was admitted to probation ior a period of two years, and ordered to pay the costs of the prosecution. In passing sentence, Mr. Justice Blair said that prisoner was charged with breaking., and entering, and the circumstances of the case indicated that the person who broke and entered the premises from which the goods involved in the case were taken, also set fire to them. The jurv, however, had brought in a verdict of guilty of theft only, and he must respect "that" As far as his Honor was concerned, therefore, the case was purely one of the prisoner having succumbed to the temptation to take the goods. As he had a good record he would be admitted to probation. MAORI'S SERIOUS OFFENCE. Teira Mohi, a young Maori (Mr. (Schramm), who was found guilty of rape, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment on each count in the indictment, the sentences to run together. Mr. Schramm submitted that as the prisoner was a Maori, he probably did not realise I the Tavity of his offence in the same . way as a "European would. The jury ' had made a recommendation to mercv ' on the grounds that he was a Maori. ; His Honor: I feel I should pay atten- • tion to that recommendation, but the punishment must be sufficient to show you and others like you that this offencf . must stop.
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Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 261, 3 November 1928, Page 11
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485SUPREME COURT. Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 261, 3 November 1928, Page 11
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