POSTMAN’S THEFTS

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 105, 27 January 1939, Page 13

POSTMAN’S THEFTS

Two Years’ Probation Allowed PRISONERS SENTENCED Commenting on the changes that had occurred during his lifetime in what, was thought to be a suitable punishment, Mr. Justice Ostler, in 'the Supreme Court, Wellington, yesterday, admitted a letter carrier who had stolen money contained in letters to two years’ probation. Prisoner was Alfred Ironmonger, aged 49, and he appeared for sentence on three charges of theft as a postal officer and two charges of opening postal packets. On prisoner's behalf, Mr. R. I. M. Sutherland pointed out that Ironmonger had lost his position after 21 years’ honourable, though ■ humble, service for the Government. He would lose all superannuation benefits except his contributions ,aud Would have to start life afresh. He had taken, in all, £l6 11/-, in small amounts, £1 and 10/-, and had done nothing with the money. His lapse was not due to want, for though he received no more than £260 a year, his home was comfortable and he had no other vices. The only possible cause was a partial stroke he had had. Counsel suggests. probation. ‘You are quite old. enough to know the seriousness of the crimes,” said his Honour to prisoner. “I remember, as a young man, sitting in this Court and hearing a judge refusing to give probation to a man for opening one packet and taking 15/-. The sentence was nine months’ imprisonment in that case. Happily the criminal law had progressed in leniency. He would take the risk of allowing probation, because the probation officer recommended it. Prisoner’s loss of position was a heavy punishment. He had received no profit from his crimes and would have to start life anew. The Crown Prosecutor, Mr, W. ,11. Cunningham, said that prisoner had deposited- a sum sufficient for restitution. , , Costs, £4/10/11. were ordered to be paid.

Imprisonment Extended. To Allan Roy Duff, aged 20, labourer, who had pleaded guilty to converting a motor-car, breaking, entering and theft, and escaping from custody, his Honour said he had read a statement prisoner had submitted, but prisoner was already serving a sentence of reformative detention and had a record. Dor conversion of a motor-car he was sentenced to three mouths’ hard labour; for escaping from custody to three months’ hard labour cumulative with the other three months; and for breaking, entering and theft to three years’ reformative detention concurrent with the term he is already serving. The effect is to add six months to prisoner’s sentence. Contemptuous of Probation. Patrick Joseph O’Connor, aged 43, labourer, who was charged with a breach of probation, was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment for his original offence, theft. His Honour said that it was quite evident that though prisoner had had ample warning of his obligations he had treated the conditions of his probation with contempt. He had been treated with extraordinary leniency when in the Supreme Court for sentence for theft, and had been told that if he paid £2/8/- nothing more would be heard of it. His Honour was a great believer in probation, but he also believed that when a man treated probation with contempt he should be punished. Howard Lee de Grut, aged 22, bootmaker, who appeared for sentence on five charges of theft, one charge of unlawful conversion of a motor-van and two charges of breaking and entering, was sentenced to three years’ reformative detention concurrent with a sentence he is at present serving, which amounts to au addition of two months to the term. For assault, on a female with intent, to commit a crime, George Curtis, aged 21, labourer, who had pleaded guilty at Mhsterton, was commuted to a Borstal institution for three years.