FACED WITH GUILT

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 7, 3 October 1929, Page 15

FACED WITH GUILT

WOMAN’S ATTEMPT AT SUICIDE

‘PUNISHED SUFFICIENTLY’

After hovering between life and death in the Public Hospital for the last three and a half months, a married woman who had attempted to commit suicide as the result of being questioned by the police in connection with a charge of shoplifting, appeared in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Accused, who was represented by Mr. J. F. B.' Stevenson, was charged with stealing a lady’s hat valued at £3 95., and also with attempting to commit suicide. She pleaded guilty to both charges. Chief-Detective Lopdell said that in 1928 the defendant went into a shop in Lambton Quay and stole a hat. This year accused had again entered the shop wearing the hat, which was recognised by its owner. She was summoned to appear on a charge of theft, and as she was in great distress over the matter he went to her house and found her with her head inside a gas oven with the gas turned on. Accused had been before the Court in 1928, when she was fined £lO for shoplifting. Mr. Stevenson said that the accused had undergone a ghastly punishment, as she had been in hospital for three and a halt months and had been given up by the doctors unless someone gave a transfusion of blood for her. That had been done and her life saved. While the accused was in hospital her husband, who had been employed out of Wellington, had returned and stayed away from work for three months, losing £lOO in wages as a result.

“It seems to me,” said the Magistrate (Mr. E. Page, S.M.), in convicting the accused, “that this woman has suffered sufficiently. On both these charges I will convict and discharge her.” Mr. Page said he expected the accused to pay the value of the stolen hat within seven days. Counsel said he would undertake that that would be done.