AN INSTITUTION SUGGESTED

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25274, 28 August 1947, Page 3

AN INSTITUTION SUGGESTED

JUDGE’S COMMENT ON SEXUAL OFFENDERS “In view of the medical evidence that has been placed before me, there seems to be a need for an institution of some kind where men of this class could be intelligently treated,” said Mr Justice Fleming in the Supreme ■ Court yesterday, when sentencing Paul Raymond, aged 46, a metal buffer, to six months’ imprisonment with hard labour on a charge of indecent assault on a male. Raymond, who had pleaded guilty in the lower Court, was represented by Mr J. K. Moloney. The institution could be perhaps a State farm where such men could do useful, health-giving work under medical supervision, and have a chance of rehabilitating themselves, said his Honour. The legislature had prescribed a maximum penalty of 20 years' imprisonment with hard labour for this type of offence, and that was surely an indication that the clean, healthy-minded people of this country were determined not to let this Sodom and Gomorrah form of filthiness get a hold, said his Honour. In the absence of an institution, such as he had mentioned, the Court could only do the best it could. There seemed to be no alternative to administering punishment in an endeavour to strengthen the will-power of such men. It was especially necessary as a deterrent to others and it seemed necessary in the interests of the country itself, for every country which had allowed those unnatural practices had come down in ruin. “We do not want that to happen here,” added his Honour. He would take into consideration the medical report and the submissions made by Mr Moloney on the prisoner’s family history, and impose only a lenient sentence. If he thought crimes of the kind were becoming common he would not hesitate to make the term in prison six years. Because of the absence of such an institution as he had mentioned, the only course was to protect the decent members of the community by segregating offenders, his Honour concluded.