IMPRISONMENT FOR PERJURY

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23203, 14 December 1940, Page 12

IMPRISONMENT FOR PERJURY

YOUNG MAN SENTENCED IN SUPREME COURT A term of six months’ imprisonment was imposed upon Robert Hamilton (Mr E. S. Bowie), when he appeared before Mr Justice Northcroft in the Supreme Court yesterday for sentence on a charge of perjury. Mr Bowie said the prisoner was a single man, aged 33 years, and he had never previously been before the Court. He had been engaged in farm work, and was in partnership with his brother on a small farm at Southbrook. His brother was going into an army camp early in the New Year and this meant there would be no one to carry on the farm during an important and busy period if the accused were sent to prison. The prisoner was not fully developed mentally, and at school was two years behind the normal standard. The offence was conceived with the idea of helping his friend. His Honour said that in this case probation was quite out of the question. The people involved in the motor' collision which was the subject of the prosecution had deliberately conspired to defeat the ends of justice. His Honour added that he would take into consideration what counsel had said, but he must impose a term of imprisonment.