SUPREME COURT

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21656, 14 December 1935, Page 11

SUPREME COURT

PRISONERS SENTENCED Five prisoners appeared for sentence before his Honour Mr Justice Northcroft at the Supreme Court yesterday. Mr A. T. Donnelly, Crown Prosecutor, conducted the cases for the Crown. Ronald Url Moore, aged 18, a labourer, appeared on a charge of breaking and entering with intent to commit a crime, and oft two charges of theft, to which he pleaded guilty in the lower court. Mr Donnelly said that Moore had a very unfortunate history. The youth had not had much of a chance. His Honour said that he would like further information. He would order a remand until December 17. Possibly some scheme for ‘ Moore’s assistance would be discovered. Eric Samuel Parker, aged 21, a farm labourer, appeared on a charge of forgery, to which he had pleaded guilty in the lower court. His Honour said that although it was Parker’s first offence, he felt it his duty, because of the character of the offence, and also for his own protection, to order some detention. It was clear that Parker required discipline, and his besetting sin was laziness. The crime was deliberate and serious, and in itself called for imprisonment. He ordered reformative detention for a period not exceedin'!* 12 months. Raymond Allen Clark (Mr .W. R. Lascelles), aged 27, a baker, • appeared on a charge of breaking and entering with intent to commit a crime, to which he had pleaded guilty in the lower court. Mr Lascelles drew tlje courts attention to the influence of drink on the prisoner, and to the fact that he was in company with a much older man when the crime was committed. Clark was one of a family of 17 children, of whom five died, and so had suffered certain disadvantages. He had been in good employment, and was weil spoken of as a worker, and although lie was a married man with two children, he had been contributing 7s 6d a week to the support of his mother. His Honour said that he had originally come to the view that prisoner’s crime merited a term of imprisonment. The representations of counsel, however, induced him to extend to the prisoner the benefits of the Probation Act. It had to be borne in mind, however, that the offence was a bad one in that Clark had joined with another man in plundering his employer. Clark was admitted to probation for a term of two years, a condition being that he should abstain from alcohol during the period. Albert Harris, aged 34, a labourer, appeared on two charges of breaking and entering and theft, and Leslie Richmond Henderson, aged 29, salesman and blacksmith, on two charges of breaking and entering and theft. The two prisoners, who appeared together, produced written statements which were handed to his Honour. His Honour said that he would' be failing in his duty if he did not impose a term of imprisonment. Both men had long lists of previous offences. Harris and Henderson were each sentenced to two years’ imprisonment with hard labour on each charge, the terms to be concurrent. AN ABSENT PRISONER Hermann Henry Thiele, .aged 25, a clerk, remanded on bail from the lower court on a charge of theft. , did not appear when his name was called. His counsel, Mr K. G. Archer, stated that Thiele was not in court. No official notice had been given cither to him nr to Thiele to appear that day. Thiele had been released on bail when he was remanded to appear at the Supreme Court at the sittings in February or the next earlier date notified. He had been reporting daily to the police. His Honour further remanded Thiele to appear on Tuesday next. APPLICATION REFUSED An application by Margaret McClure (Dr. A. L. Haslam) for permanent maintenance frbm Alfred McClure (Mr W. R. Lascelles), from whom she was divorced in May last, was refused by his Honour Mr Justice Northcroft at the Supreme Court yesterday.

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

FRIDAY (Before Mr E. C. Levvey, S.M.) Beatrice Cassell, a domestic, aged 47, of Durham street, and James Harry, a labourer, aged 53, of Durham street, pleaded not guilty to a charge of committing a grossly indecent act in Bradford Park. , Each accused was convicted and ordered to come Up for sentence if called upon within 12 months. CONVICTED AND DISCHARGED Raymond Allen Clark appeared for sentence on a charge of stealing bacon valued at 255, the property of T. H. Green and Company, Ltd/ Clark was convicted and discharged on condition that he relays the value of the goods stolen. „ . , „ „ Eric Samuel Parker appeared foi sentence on a charge of stealing a Savings Bank book, the property of Richard Charles Cannell. He was convicted and discharged. CHILDREN’S COURT A boy aged 17i was admonished and ordered to pay. costs on a charge of aiding in the commission of an offence. TRAFFIC CHARGES Offenders against traffic regulations were fined as follows (and ordered-to pay costs unless otherwise stated):— Dangerous Driving—William Wallace Davies, 20s. „, , Negligent Driving—John Edward Byrne, 10s. Samuel Torepe, 20s (failing to report accident, 10s). Cycling on Footpath—Trevor Clarke;: ss; William Gray, 10s; John Penlmgton, 10s; Benjamin Francis O’Sullivan, costs only. ... T . . , Cycling at Night without a. Light— Jack Eland, ss; Morker Sawtell, 10s; Jack Sinclair Hagarth, 10s; Mildred McDonald, costs only; Henry John Murphy, costs only. Attempting to Cross Railway when Line was not' Clear —Victor William McLintock. 10s. . Obstructing Constable—Benjamin Francis O’Sullivan, 10s. MAINTENANCE ORDER A charge of disobeying a maintenance order, brought against Leslie John Ell, aged 29 (Mr D. W. Russell), was adjourned sine die. at 48 hours’ notice, on condition that Ell paid at least £lO and reported once a week to the maintenance officer. DANGEROUS DRIVING Leslie Charles Marra was charged with dangerous driving and with driving a motor-car, not being the holder of a license. „ ~ Senior-Sergeant D. L. Calwell, said that these charges were the outcome of an accident on the McCormacks Bay road on December 1. The accused was one of a party of six youths and girls, all younger than 19. who went by motor-car to Sumner. On the way back they travelled on the wrong side of the road at a high speed. On the McCormack’s Bay road another motorist pulled to the side and stopped to allow them to pass, but they continued on the wrong side and ran into his car. The vehicle in which the accused and his party were travelling overturned and all of its occupants were thrown out. Some had obviously had drink, although the driver was not under the influence of liquor. It was a gross case of negligence, because their behaviour was not only dangerous to themselves but also to other people. The accused had no license, and it was suggested that he should be disqualified from holding one. , , . Marra was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within 12 months. He was prohibited from obtaining a license for 12 months. For driving without a license he was ordered to pay costs.