SUPREME COURT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3086, 17 May 1917, Page 9

SUPREME COURT

PRISONERS SENTENCED

EICHTEEN MONTHS FOR SHEEPSTEALING. William Southeo came before Mr. Justice Edwards in the Supremo Court yesterday for sentence on a conviction for sheep-stealing. His Honour said that the prisoner had been convicted in-1909 of theft, and in 1914 of assault. Apart from his convictions for theft ho was looked upon as a reputed thief, and his general character was .described bj the Probation Officer as bad. Southeo was sentenced to 18 month.}' hard labour. "A PUT-UP J08. ,, Joseph Nickolls and John M'Carthy, two men who had pleaded Ritilty in the Lower Court to a charge of breaking and entering Duthie's warehouse and stealing electro-plate, also came up for sentence. M'Carthy said ho wished to make a statement. He began in a low voice, and His Honour interrupted with: '-'I can soe what it is. This is a put-up job between you and your friend to get one sentenco for the two. You want to say you did the whole thing, and he know nothing aboxit it. You were a bad boy, and he was a. good boy— is that it?" .M'Carthy: Yes, and it's the truth. His Honour refused to hear M'Carthy further. ■ Deferring to the prisoners' records, he said that M'Carthy had been several times previously convicted of theft, and had also been convicted of vagrancy. To Nickolls ho said: "It would take too long to read all your convictions. They are twenty-six ■ in. number, and occupy a sheet of foolscap." Both men received a sentenco of two years ' hard lahour, and were ordered to bo further detained for reformative purposes for n. period of. five years.