SUPREME COURT

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 72, 18 December 1926, Page 12

SUPREME COURT

PRISONERS SENTENCED. Prisoners were sentenced by His Honour the Chief Justice in the Supreme Court yesterday. On two charges of indecent assault James Johnson, a labourer, 52 years of age, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, with hard labour. On two charges of forgery, two of uttering, and one of theft, Martin Thomas Adams, a clerk, 28 years of age, was sentenced to reformative detention for a period not exceeding twelve months. . Charles Goodwell, alias James Davis, a hairdresser, aged 45, was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment, with hard labour, on a charge of breaking, entering, and theft. On a charge of theft from a dwelling Basil John Joseph Miller, alias Walter Gray, alias Basil. Stevens, a labourer, 32 years of age, was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment, with hard labour.

For conspiring to commit a crime—indecent assault —James Cooper, a seaman, 77 years of age, and Thomas William Madsen, 17 years of age, appeared for sentence together. For counselling or procuring indecent assault Cooper was sentenced to imprisonment, with hard labour, for three years; while Madsen, charged with indecent assault, was committed to a Borstal institute for four years. AUCKLAND CASES. Dominion Special. Auckland, December 17. Of five prisoners brought before Mr. Justice Reed for sentence in the Supreme Court this morning, two were stood down, two were sent to the Welfare Court, and sentence was passed in the remaining case. Describing the case as an unfortunate one in which the prisoner was mentally defective, Mr. B. Hart asked for probation for Edith Victoria Geyde, who had pleaded guilty to a charge of concealing a birth. Counsel stated that unsuccessful attempts had been made to find the man concerned. His Honour admitted the woman to probation for two years.