PUNISHMENT FOR CRIME

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21708, 15 February 1936, Page 10

PUNISHMENT FOR CRIME

FIFTEEN PRISONERS SENTENCED .

SUPREME COURT ’ SESSION

The criminal calendar at the present session of the Supreme Court at Christt church has been one of the heaviest for some years, and yesterday morning 115 prisoners appeared for sentence be- : fore Mr Justice Northcroft There was i an undue proportion, of sexual offences. ‘ five prisoners Being sentenced to terms i ranging from seven years’ hard labour 'to reformative detention for pot more ! than one year. Other crimes included bigamy, theft, assault, . false pretence, and breaking and entering. Two Years for Bigamy For bigamy, Joseph Halford, aged 52 (Mr J. A. Bretherton) was sentenced 'to two years’ imprisonment; . Counsel claimed that Halford, who is a cripple, had been driven from his • first home by his wife’s attitude aud -that his lapse should be treated lemczitly. . His Honour said the crime was serious, and it was necessary ip the public interest that there should be , a proper deterrent. The facts showed that the prisoner’s story for there were affectionate letters on the file sent by Halford to _ his wife in England two years after his bigamous marriage. False Pretence For attempting to obtain £6O a false pretence, William Alexander i .Welsh, aged 26. a tea-canvasser (Mr A. C. Brassington), was smtenced to two years’ imprisonment. Welsh was found guilty of attempting to obtain the money from the parents of a : civil servant who was awaiting sentence for theft from the Post and Tete" graph Department. He had told them that if the money was paid nothing ! more would be heard about an alleged i additional deficiency of £6O, whicn. Welsh said, had been discovered. Counsel said the crime was of arsenous nature, but he suggested the offence was more in the nature ofpreparation for a crime. Welsh had desisted before he had gone very far. His crime was one of folly. Welsh was married, with one young child. • “Much as I would like to take your counsel’s view that the offence was due to folly,” said his addressing the prisoner, “I am bound to take the view that you made a deliberate, mean, and heartless attempt to exploit the people concerned.” His Honour added that it was Welsh’s second conviction, and there was no excuse for bis abominable fraud. “Plain Case of Theft” “This is a plain case of theft,” declared Ms Honour in sentencing Williams Everil Courtier, aged 32, to one year’s imprisonment on three charges of theft. His Honour added that Courtier had' stolen over- a-period of-years without any apparent temptation. Alienist’s Report Charles Roland Talbot, who pleaded guilty to an assault- causing actual bodily harm, was remanded until, next Friday, pending a report by an alion- , ist. Taibot was represented by Mr W- R. Lascelles. , - Reformative Detention Herman* Theodore Malm (Mr M. J. Gresson) was sentenced to reformar live detention for a period hot exceeding two years for attempting to break and enter a shop with intent to commit si crime. Counsel said that all of Malm's offences were connected with drink. None involved dishonesty. His Honour said hej was anxiotis to give Malm a chance reform. Edna May Smith, aged 20,, whO had pleaded guilty to nine, charges of Housebreaking, was sentenced to ..reformative detention lot not more. than a year. His Honour said the case was serious; In six months the prisoner had committed nine Separate robberies. The probation officer recom-. mended probation, but his Honour said it was not a case for that. The prisoner would be detained for reformative purposes for a period not exceeding one year. ,t, * Probation for Theft Probation for two years was extended to Cyril James Crawford, aged 27 (Mr D. W. Russell). He had pleaded guilty to‘the theft, at Oxford, of-a wallet containing £ 60, His ' Honour said he would take it into ; account that Crawford had been subjected, to a sudden temptation. Crawford would be ordered to repay £6O, according to . the .instructions of the „ probation officer. Two Years’ Imprisonment A sentence of two years’ hard labour was imposed on George Walter Roche, a salesman, aged 34 (Mr D. W. Russell), for breaking and entering a house on Cashmere Hills, with theft. Roche was convicted and discharged for the theft of articles and money from a guest at Warner’s Hotel to a value of £l9l. His Honour said the theft from the house had been earned out with- extreme thoroughness. Both crimes were deliberate. Abandoning Child Delia Babbitt, a single woman, aged 25 (Mr A. C. Brassington), who had pleaded guilty to abandoning a child under two* and to making a false, statement under the Births and Deaths Registration Act, was admitted to probation for one year., . . Mr Brassington said the crime . of abandoning her younger child bad brought shame .and publicity to toe grisoner,. The crime would never have Ben committed if Babbitt had been in good health. Her purpose in abandoning the child was to get it into a h °His* Honour said' he agreed that there were extenuating circumstances. Babbitt would be admitted to probation for one year. On the charge omaking a false declaration, she \yould be convicted and discharged. Fine of £2O George Apitl-Bead, a farmer, of Eiffel ton, (Mr C.;S Thomas), was fined £2O for an assault causing .actual bodilv harm. Mr Thomas said that tlto case was unfortunate. Read was a trustee Under, his brother's will and was doing most of the work of carrying on his brother’s farm for the benefit of the widow. whom he had assaulted, • was a co-trustee, and Bead considered that Keen was interfering _with the management of the farm. Head had wrongfully ordered Keen off the farm, end when the refused to go he had attempted to put him off the property. While-doing this, he had caused Keen to fracture a bone in the foot, Read had a first-class record, and sincerely regretted hi? Action. His Honour said he did not think the case was one for- imprisonment, but it was one in which the court must show its disapproval. Sexual Offenders Robert Drihkwater, a jockey, aged 23 (Mr Wj(R. Lascelles), was sentenced to two years 'imprisonment for attempted race. When the jury, found Drinkwater guilty, • it recommended leniency because, of the circumstances. His 1 lionour said that but for the lug e recommendation, he would have felt it his duty to order a flogging. For indecent assault, Gordon Stewart Barr, a jockey, aged 31 (Mr D., W. RussellL was sentenced to a years imprik/wtment. John Philpot Wilson, a farmer A. B. 1 Hobbs), who had been found guilty of six charges of incest at Sexion and Balcairn. was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment. His Honour said the case was, truly' dreadful. The maximum sentence was of 10 years, and he would be fading m his outy jf he did not impose.- an exemPl Qn a'convicfion for indecent assault, Daniel O’.Cotmell (Mr H. Hanna) vm ordered to be detained for.reformative purposes, for a not ' y Morris, ?ged 44 (Dr. 1 , ,'A. L, Haslam), was-sentenced to re-