SUPPRESSION OF NAMES.

Press, Volume XLIV, Issue 19388, 14 August 1928, Page 4

SUPPRESSION OF NAMES.

MR JUSTICE ADAMS'S WAY.

advice, but no order.

"I am very reluctant to make an order for suppression from publication of the name, and as far as I can oollec*. I have not so far done so. I ■will suggest to the reporters, an( through them to the editors of the newspapers,'that a merciful consideration of the mother's position will indicate that the name should not be published. I refrain from making an order, however, for I have much fai l> in the discretion of those who govern the Press, and because one hesitates, - cept in extreme cases, to _ order that .would interfere with the freedom of the Press." The above remarks were made in the Supremo Court yesterday by his Honour Mr Justice Adams, m refcrenee tQ . j-outh of 17 years of ago who stood for sentence, on charges ot rape, assault with intent to commit rape, and indecent assault upon a female. The prisoner was represented by Mr C S. Thomas, who said that while it was the prisoner's first offence, it was, of course, a very grave one indeed, lie could say nothing in mitigation, but the boy would seem to be not altogether normal. The very nature of the offences and the circumstances in which they I were committed would show that. Mr Thomas suggested that the prisoner be; placed under supervision in such a way that he could be subject to an examination. He was an orphan. His Honour: Have you seen the Probation Officer's report? Mr Thomas: No, your Honour, but I can imagino what it is. Mr A. W. Brown, who appeared for the Crown: The Probation Officer asks your Honour to give the greatest consideration to his request that the lad s name should be suppressed from puV lication in the newspapers. Tlio reason is that the mother would, if the boy's namo were published, lose a position for which she has worked very hard. The boy's name was suppressed in the Lower Court.

His Honour; I have given this case some consideration before coming on to the Bench. The lad is seventeen years of age, and the special circumstances strengthen the recommendation of the Probation Officer, which is that the youth be' placed in a Borstal institution instead of imprisonment. I shall take that course, warning the prisoner, however, that his remaining in the institution will depend upon tho manner in which ,hc conducts himself. The Probation Officer has pointed out special circu' * -vnces with reference to the mother which indicate that publication of tho boy's name might do irreparablo injury to a deserving woman. The prisoner was sentenced to detention in the Borstal Institute for five years.