ABUSE OF TRUST

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23789, 7 November 1942, Page 7

ABUSE OF TRUST

HOSPITAL ATTENDANT IMPRISONED William .Tames McMillan, aged 60, a hospital attendant, was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment with hard labour by Mr Justice Northcroft in the Supreme Court in Christchurch yesterday, for having had carnal connexion with a mental defective. “Your case has given me much painful concern,” said his Honour, when sentencing the prisoner (for whom Mr G. T. Weston appealed for leniency). "The law expressly forbids sexual Intercourse with a female mental defective. This is a grave offence, particularly when a man like you, who has been specially charged with the duty of protecting such a woman, is guilty of it." The prisoner, said his counsel, had been 26 years In the service, and had never been in trouble before. As the woman concerned was bright and intelligent and had been medically described as “a highgrade mental defective,” he considered that there was not the same morbl element of blame. McMillan had been happily married, had forfeited his pension, and his family would share in his disgrace. Evidence was called as to previous good character, and that, according to the Judge, was taken into consideration when pronouncing sentence.