WOMAN SENTENCED FOR ARSON

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 138, 6 March 1936, Page 15

WOMAN SENTENCED FOR ARSON

Thrce Years’ Hard Labour “DANGER TO COMMUNITY” Dominion Special Service. Wanganui, March 5Appearing for sentence this morning after a trial lasting two days in the Supreme Court, 'Wanganui, his Honour Mr. Justice Ostler sentenced Florence Alberta Birss, aged 29, of Ohakune, to three years’ 'imprisonment with hard labour, for arson at Ohakune on December 22. Mr. L. N. Ritchie, counsel for prisoner, asked for leniency and stated he had a certificate from Dr. Jordan, Ohakune, and that the prison doctor had examined the prisoner, who was pregnant. Counsel suggested that the offence of arson might have been caused to some extent by her condition, and asked the court to take this into consideration and also the jury s strong recommendation for mercy. In sentencing prisoner, his Honour said that it was difficult to know what to do in her case, first because she was a woman, and secondly on account of her condition. “The jury has complicated the matter somewhat and have recommended you to mercy. It is obvious they do not know the whole facts. You have had a very fair trial, and certain evidence which I think would have been admissable was excluded in order to give you the fairest trial possible. “I have little doubt that you caused two other fires. You have terrorised the neighbourhood by your threats of fires. There is a theory also that you are not quite sane, but that is a matter which will have to be watched by the prison authorities. It seems to me that, if you are sane, you are a dangerous criminal, and if you are not sane, vou are a danger to the community. I have no option but to sentence you to a term of imprisonment in the public interefit.’’