SUSPENDED SENTENCE FOR WOMAN

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27664, 21 May 1955, Page 11

SUSPENDED SENTENCE FOR WOMAN

AMYTAL ADMINISTERED TO LANDLADY (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, May 20. The prisoner’s offence had been extremely dangerous, and might have ended in a charge of murder, Mr Justice Finlay said in the Supreme Court in Auckland today in ordering Beryl Lillian Reeves Bennett, aged 49, a married woman (Mr K. C. Aekms) to come up for sentence within two years if called upon. She appeared for sentence on a charge that, with intent to annoy she did attempt to cause a noxious thing— Amytal—to be taken by Elisa Harsant, the accused’s landlady. His Honour said that in taking into account the fact that the jury had found her guilty of the lesser offence —of committing the act with intent to annoy and not to injure—he could regard the offence as one of stupidity, rather than criminality. The offer. s a stupid gesture of resentment . ainst the living conditions with Harsant. He thought the prosecution had done its task by showing to Bennett the serious nature of the offence, his Honour said. His Honour said Bennett was to move from the house in question as soon as possible and was not to go near Harsant.