A BAD EXCHANGE

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 16, 14 October 1926, Page 12

A BAD EXCHANGE

WAIKERIA ESCAPEE GETS HARD LABOUR UNDERMINED BORSTAL DISCIPLINE Dominion Special. Auckland, (Jctvuer 13. A young man, ciemcnt Murphy, who recently cuuseo much trouble at the Waikeria Borstal Institution, and then escaped from custody with a companion, was brought up at the Supreme Court lor sente-ne'e- to-day. Mr. J. F. W. Dickson, (or the prisoner, said that Murphy had been sentenced recently to not more than three years’ reformative treatment. There were previous convictions against him, but it could not be said that he had a bad list. It had been stated in the earlier proceedings that be was not quite normal, and his recent behaviour left no doubt of the fact. His mother declared that he had been subnormal and irresponsible for rears. On being sent to Waikeria he had stated that lie did not want to stay there This showed clearly that he did not understand his position. Counsel added that there was need for a special institution in which people like Mttrphv could be kept in safetv under medical’ supervision with the object of making them, if possible, useful members of society. He asked that any sentence imposed on Murpliv should not exceed his present term of three years. “It is reported to me that you boasted that Waikeria would not hold you,’ said Mr. Justice Herdman to Murphy. “You set to’ work to undermine the discipline of the institution. Finally vou induced another young man tobreak away with you, and the whole countryside was in a state of terror because vou two were at large. His Honour sentenced prisoner to two rears’ hard labour, to be followed by not more than two years’ reformative detention, the whole to be concurrent with his present sentence. His Honour explained that he bad bad to take this course because, to impose an. additional term of reformative detention would have meant nothing, and the prisoner might have been released after six months. The new sentence would have the effect of increasing Murphy’s maximum term of imnri=onment by one rear “I suggest to the prison authorities,” said His Honour, "that vou be sent to a more secure place than Waikeria It is useless sending you there ” ___