SENTENCE DEFERRED.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 138, 13 June 1929, Page 9

SENTENCE DEFERRED.

NAVAL MAN'S CRIME.

CHARGE OF COMMITTING BIGAMY,

Sentence on Alfred Minty, of H.M.S. Veronica, who appeared before Mr. Justice Kennedy this morning on & charge of committing bigamy, to which he had pleaded guilty in the lower court, wa s deferred until to-morrow.

Mr. McLiver, who appeared for the accused, said allotments had heen sent Home regularly by Minty to his wife and children i n England, and they had suffered no loss. For a number of -rears accused had been attached to the naval division in New Zealand, and it was difficult to explain his crime. If he were imprisoned he would be subjected to a court martial at the expiration of his sentence.' Having been in the navy for 10 years two months he' was approaching the time when lie would be entitled to certain privileges because of the length of his service. The woman with whom he went through a second form of marriage in Auckland was in court and had entirely forgiven the man. as she realised the circumstances under which they were married were unusual. The accused had previously borne an excellent character. Mr Meredith, Crown Prosecutor, said the ship to which Minty had been attached left Auckland last week. He understood from an officer that the accused would not be re-admitted to the service. The holding of a. court martial lie considered unlikely.

' His Honor ordered a remand until to-morrow for inquiries to be made a* to the exact- attitude of Hie naval an iJiorities.