PRISONER'S PLEA.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 27, 2 February 1932, Page 8

PRISONER'S PLEA.

APPEAL FROM DOCK. HIS FORMER OFFENCES. JUDGE NOT IMPRESSED. A lengthy appeal from the dock by a prisoner was disregarded in the Supreme Court this morning, when Michael Murphy appeared before Mr. Justice Herdman on two charges of thefts from houses- and one of breaking, entering and theft. • He was sentenced to two years' reformative detention. When asked if he had anything to say, prisoner said,, "I, would like to tell you something About .my life during the past two years." . Permission was granted. "Two- years • ago- I • had a permanent position and a position of trust," said prisoner,' • •referring- • -to ■ • much-handled notes. "I had a considerable sum of money saved up and I was engaged to be married —but the engagement was broken off. Then I became ill and for live months I was in the Palnierston North Hospital. I was still suffering from nerves when I was'discharged. It was then I started to drink. Some time later,-in-Mastorton, I attempted to commit suicide-and two days after appearing in-Court, I was arrested in Martinborough for vagrancy." ■ Ho' came to' Auckland, accused said, and started drinking methylated spirits. One night'lie thought he would commit suicide, so he told a police officer. He ■was Temanded for a -week, and was then convicted and discharged. He went off to Waiiganui, where he was again arrested on a vagrancy charge. "I tried to give up the drink and got a job in Te Kuiti," continued Murphy. "Some time later I came to Auckland and started drinking again. It was then I stole £60 worth of jewellery. I went to Hamilton, still drinking, and stole goods there. I also committed thefts in Taihape and Christchurch." Accused told of how he had worked in Public Works Department camps on the West Coast and in Central Otago. For four months he did not have a drink, but one night somebody brought some liquor into the camp. "Then I 'went to the pack'," he said. "I went to Dunedin, and spent all the money I had saved on both Public Works jobs. I was drinking again, and broke into a house. I told the Dunedin police and later confessed the whole lot. I fully intend to give up drink altogether and live a clean life in the future. I feel that it would be too much to ask for probation, but I do ask that a short sharp sentence be imposed." "It is altogether too difficult to believe that you committed thefts in Auckland, and then went to Hamilton, still under the influence of liquor, and committed a further theft there," said his Honor in sentencing accused.