COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 14476, 23 September 1947, Page 3

COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE

YOUNG MAORI CHARGED Offence Against Young Giri Theft Case Heard In Tauranga Court Pleading guilty to a charge of carnally knowing a girl over the age of 12 years and under the age of 16, Stephenson Thompson, a farm labourer of Aongatete, aged 17 years was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence, when he appeared before Mr L. R. Wilkinson J.P. and Mr L. E. Deacon J.P. in the Tauianga Police Court yesterday. Senior Sergeant J. R. Corston prosecuted. Evidence that he had examined the girl whom he found was with child was given by Joseph Burstein, a U edical P rac tltioner at Katikati. The father of the girl, an employee of the Katikati Dairy Factory, stated that he lived with his wife and eight children. Accused, who was his nephew, had been brought up by witness, owing to the death of his parents, since he was four years of age. Thompson was born at Opunake on November 17, 1929, and had been living with witness until two weeks ago. Witness stated that from about February to May this year, a friend had stayed at his place and during that time used the room usually occupied by accused. Thompson," during this time, slept in another room on the floor with the girl and two of her brothers. As a result .of his own observations, witness said he took his daughter to be examined by Dr. Burstein and, following a communication, he taxed accused with carnally knowing his daughter. Accused admitted the charge and later again admitted it to witness in the presence of the police at Katikati.

The girl, in evidence, told the Court that she was the eldest of a family of three sisters and four brothers. She had attended the Katikati District High School up till the last holidays and was then in standard 6. Referring to the time .when a friend stayed at their home, witness said that when they were sleeping on'the floor, accused used to come over to her side. When he reoccupied his own room accused, she added, continued to visit her where she was sleeping. When she visited the doctor he had said she was going to have a baby. Constable Hugh Hunter, of Katikati, stated that on August 31 last he was informed by the girl’s father that he believed his daughter was pregnant and that his nephew was responsible for her condition. When interviewed by the police Thompson admitted interfering with the girl and had stated that she had not told him her age, but as far as he knew she was 14 years old. He made a statement to the police admitting that he was responsible for the girl’s condition. Entered Bakeshop Window

Charged further with stealing the sum of 7/-, the property of Herbert Charles Fenn, Thompson pleaded guilty and was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called on within twelve months, v Senior Sergeant Corston stated that on August 16 last, accused entered a bakeshop at Katikati by climbing through a window after he had noted the departure of the owner. He went through the shop and took two halfcrowns and two shillings from the till. Both halfcrowns, added Senioir Sergeant Corston, were of an unusual date. Two days later, Thompson passed one of the half crowns over to the bakeshop and it was then noticed that it was one of the coins stolen two days previously. The rest of the money accused spent in going to the pictures and buying ca k es The police told the Court that on August 6 accused was charged with theft which centred round several thefts from the same bakeshop. Accused had then been placed on probation for six months.