Youth released from Borstal

Press, 29 October 1977, Page 7

Youth released from Borstal

A youth involved in a gang attack on a house in Riccarton Road, where an engagement party was being I held, has been released from: Borstal training by Mr Jus-j tice Somers as a result of an appeal in the Supreme; Court. i Anthony Sidney Frederick* Wood, aged 18, a foundry labourer, had an appeal; allowed against a sentence! of Borstal training imposed, in the Magistrate’s Court on* July 4 on two charges ofj burglary, and one each of' theft, unlawful assembly, assault, and wilful damage. Mr M. J. Glue appeared; for Wood. His Honour said that the last three offences arose out of one incident which involved a disgraceful piece of behaviour in which persons at a social in a house 1 were terrorised and assaulted. He had no doubt that the general approach by*

•the Magistrate was entirely: correct. The various persons in- 1 jvolved were sentenced to* • terms of imprisonment raniiging from three months to! 112 months, one was put on* probation, and Wood was! i sentenced to Borstal training. : There were only two ’{things to be said in favour !of Wood — one was his ■j youth and the other was .that he was a first offender. * The probation officer’s report suggested that with the proper motivation he might respond to probation. If that was the case, it would be I]proper to direct his release; from Borstal. “He has been there for three months and a half and appears to have made at ) least average progress. I ‘think that the time he has spent there is likely to have t |been a salutary lesson to ’•him.” his Honour said.

i His Honour quashed the; I sentence of Borstal training land put Wood on probation* (for 18 months. He was; * ordered not to associate) .'with any member of the* Templeton Motor-cycle gang'

;or any person disapproved’ ;*of by the probation officer,) **t:o work ■ and live where )' directed, and to pay dam-) .'ages at the direction of the] ;* probation officer.