BORSTAL TERM

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31195, 20 October 1966, Page 5

BORSTAL TERM

Youth’s Appeal Fails An appeal by Geoffrey Leonard Harris, aged 18, a sheetmetal worker (Mr K. M. Hampton), against a sentence of Borstal training imposed on him in respect of charges of wilful damage and assault was dismissed by Mr Justice Wilson in the Supreme Court yesterday. Mr N. W. Williamson appeared for the Crown. Mr Hampton said Harris had been under the care of the Child Welfare Division, placed on probation served a term at a detention centre and had previously served a Borstal term. He had been released from Borstal after serving about half the maximum sentence of two years. Mr Hampton submitted that as an alternative to committing Harris to a second term of Borstal the sentencing Magistrate could well have had Harris recalled from parole to serve the remainder of the Borstal sentence. His Honour said Harris, after release from Borstal on parole, had within a short time demonstrated that he had had no intention of abiding by the conditions of his parole. Not only that, but in the company of other youths he had committed wanton damage and wantonly assaulted in the Botanic Gardens a 15-year-old youth who had offered no provocation. “He said he did it for kicks so he can’t really complain if it kicks back.” It was clear Harris needed further training. He did not consider that the Magistrate could have recalled Harris from his parole except on complaint of a probation officer and that had not been done.

The Magistrate had adopted the only course possible, the imposition of a further Borstal term, he said.