YEAR’S IMPRISONMENT

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 189, 9 May 1934, Page 11

YEAR’S IMPRISONMENT

Penalty For Burglary OFFENCE AT PALMERSTON Dominion Special Service. Palmerston North, May 8. Twelve months’ imprisonment with b.ard labour was imposed on Joseph Henry Lewis, labourer, aged 38 years, l>y Mr. Justice Fair in the Supreme Court this morning on a charge of breaking and entering the premises ot ibe Dominion Auctioneering Company mid stealing a radio and sbort-wiive converter of a total value ot £39. Prisoner was found guilty ot the offence by a jury in the Supreme Court last week. Mr. T. F. Belling, who appeared tor prisoner, said that he would like to point out that the case was an isolated one. Prisoner had been in steady work in the Railway Department'and there had been no need for him to commit the offence. I'or the past 14 years prisoner had lived a straightforward and honest life. As 'there was no evidence of criminal tendencies before the court, the ends of justice would be met by the imposition of a strict term of probation. “I would like to point out that the verdict of the jury means that this man not only went into the witnessbox and committed perjury, but suggested that Crown witnesses had committed perjury,” said the Crown Prosecutor. Mr. H. R. Cooper. Mr. Justice Fair said thrft he would not take into consideration the fact thar prisoner had previous convictions as they had been received many years ago. He could not see his way clear to admit prisoner to probation and doubted whether probation could be given to those who were found guilty of breaking and entering. The offence was regarded as a serious one and the maximum penalty had been fixed at 14 years’ imprisonment, me present offence was one of deliberation, and it was carried out in such a cool manner that it would lead to the belief that it was not a first offence.