MAGISTRATE’S COURT Three years gaol for indecent assault

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33110, 28 December 1972, Page 4

MAGISTRATE’S COURT Three years gaol for indecent assault

Three years imprisonment was imposed on Anthony Andrew Brown, aged 23, an unemployed painter, when he appeared before Mr K. H. J. Headifen, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday on a charge of indecently assaulting a girl aged seven. Counsel for Brown (Mr R. B. Leete) said that the girl concerned had suffered no psychological or physical injury. Once apprehended Brown had been fully cooperative with the police. From studying reports on Brown one could only come to the conclusion that he was not a normal human being. Although he could tell right from wrong there was a lot a psychologist could do for him. said Mr Leete. The Magistrate said that a person indecently assaulting a girl under 10 was liable to three years imprisonment. It was Brown’s third appearance for similar offences. On separate occasions in 1968 he had assaulted a nine-year-old girl and a five-year-old girl, and he had committed other offences of a criminal nature. The latest assault concerned a seven-year-old girl in Linwood Park on November 26.

“I have gone through the psychiatric report on you and there is very little at all to excuse the offence — it was largely brought about by your addiction to drink,” said the Magistrate. Saying that the Court had a duty to protect girls in the city, the Magistrate imposed the maximum term he had the jurisdiction to impose — three years. WILFUL DAMAGE “1 am fed up to the back teeth with people who go around the city throwing bottles,” said the’ Magistrate when Keith Miles Leavy, aged 18, a labourer, appeared for sentence on a charge of wilful damage.

Leavy (Mr M. J. Glue), was fined $75 and ordered to make restitution of $l2. The Magistrate said it seemed that the bottle was becoming either a weapon or something to be used at every opportunity. “There was a time in this country when we were men enough not to resort to bottles,” he said. Leavy was said to have thrown

a bottle at the rear window of a car which was just moving off. “The consequences could have been disastrous,” said the Magistrate. Mr Glue said the offence had been a foolish act which Leavy now regretted. He had returned to live at home and now had a steady job. NINE MONTHS GAOL Nine months imprisonment was imposed on Henry Mathew

Huntly, aged 31, a wood worker (Mr C. A. McVeigh), when he appeared for sentence on a charge of disqualified driving. His disqualification was extended by six months to July 31. 1974 The Magistrate said it was Huntly’s fifth conviction for driving while disqualified and he had served terms of imprisonment and at the adult work centre and although he had ample opportunity to remain in the community he had abused the opportunities.

Russell Len Donald, aged 17, an unemployed workman was placed on probation for 18 months and ordered to make restitution of $7O when he appeared for sentence on a charge of burgling ' the Westminster Fish Supply on December 14.