SENTENCED FOR CRIME

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 17, 20 January 1921, Page 7

SENTENCED FOR CRIME

SEVERAL PRISONERS APPEAS

THEFT AND FORGERY*

Several prisoners came up for sentence at the Supreme Court, before his Honour Mr.' Justice Chapman, this morning.

. Myra Hill had pleaded guilty to charges of theft and forgery and uttering. There were four .previous convictions, and the Crown' Prosecutor stated: that Hill had commenced a career of systematic fraud,. even stealing from". a woman who had befriended her. His Hpri*>u« ordered the sentence Hill is at present serving to be extended by six months. - OHANOE TO REFORiAL.'/ A young^ man of about twenty years of age, William Prince, was brought, ujj for sentence on an admitted charge of breaking, entering, and theft. There waa nothing much against him in the; past, al* though foe was stated to be addicted to drink, and, as a youth, to hav.e, bten ordered to receive nine strokes of-'tha birch. Incidentally he had committed breaches of the Defence' Act. His honour _decided thai; it would be best* to,send, Prince to tbelnvercargill institution for twelve months' reformative treatment A BAD RECORD. • . Theft from the person was the.,crime I for which Joseph..-Williamv.Geo'rges.-r.i i appeared for sentence. ' There 'Were 30 previous convictions against ,'Gebrftesori. principally for drunkenness, but.iii' addition there were 'three convictions' for theft and some for'being a rogue'and a. vagabond. In view of the accused's record, His Honour said he had no option except to sentence him to a term of imprisonment for three years. A GUILTY. PAIR, . 4 William James Roach* and I*hylii*, Banks, for whom Mr. ;W.; Perry 'appeared, had both been "found guilty of breaking and entering and, theft. * 'Mr. Perry ; . said .Roach had • a fairly -; good. character, but seemed to have got into bad company after his return from tha war: ■"•■■:'." '.-"■!'■ .- " His Honour: "How old is he?"i\ir. -Perry: ".32-years,'sir.'"'"!.".'.l His Honour: " Then it isvhardiy a case for talking about getting into bad company. A man of that age who '2'ets into bad company does so. as , the . result of having sought'it." ■-..•• ■■ With regard to Banks, Mr.; Parry admitted that she had a number of previous convictions for vagrancy, drunkenness, and theft. She was 22 years'of age, and had been divorced, which, Mr. Perrysaid, might account for some of what appeared to be aliases. Ec asked that she be given a chance to redeem herself. His Honour:_ "The .best reform system in a case like that is.under a'prison matron." ' The Crown Prosecutor said'the police gave Banks a bad character as;a loose woman who associated with Chinamen and criminals. . * His Honour: "As to you, Roach, you*' could easily get work, and there is' no need-for you to resort to dishonesty. You will be sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment with hard labour. You, Banks, have a bad record, and the best thing for you .is to put you' under prison discipline. You will be sentenced: to 12 months' imprisonment with hard labour." THE FIRST LAPSE. A youth appeared lor sentence !on charges of false pretences. Mr. Sievwright appeared for accused, and explained the circumstances of the offences, ■which, he said, were the result of getting into bad company and gambling. HSa Honour placed file accused on probation for three years, and ordered him to pay £1 a month to the people defrauded until the amount involved was reimbursed, and £3 within three months towards the ' cost of the- prosecution. UNABLE TO EXPLAIN. ■ Reginald Johnathan Stanley Sheen, guilty of brea&iug, entering, and .theft, said his previous record had beeit good, and he could not account for his,lapse. The Crown Prosecutor said the man, who was 27 years of age, had a good record except for a couviction seven years ago. His Honour sentenced accused to six months' imprisonment with hsr3 labour. THREE DEARS' PROBATION.He,iry Roydon Moore was represented by . Mr. Sievwright, and admitted charges of theft from a dwelling at Levin and 'further charges of theft and! false pretences at Hastings. It was explained that Moore had a good character except for an oftehco of theft committed while in England as a nwrnber of the New Zealand ' Expeditionary Force. His Honour expressed ".regret that certain returned soldiers seemed, to. find it impossible to settle down—ther-0 was far too ,much .of the wandering spirit in evidence. Howover,, lie would deal leniently with Moore,, who would be placed on probation for three years and ordered to pay,£l a month towards compensiting those who'had.lost as th'o result of his offences, and £5 towards the cost of the prosecutions.. _.'} ' EIGHT MONTHS IN GAOL: A charge of false pretences was admit* ted by Charles Ratlin*, who had previous convictions for 'theft. His, Honour said the present offence was not a,, very , grave one, but it waa necessary to bear in mind the character given himself by past-conduct. Accused would be sentenced to eight months' imprisonment with hard labour,. . ' j ANOTHER. FORGERY GASE. Another charge of forgery and utter* ing was that against William George Dfiikie, who committed his offence at Napier. Accused hnd previous convictions against him for drunkenness and for a breach of a prohibition order, and was stated to be. suffering, from 'the effect of wounds. He had been discharged from rtrisoa on Christmas Eve, a.nd' committed the new offence two days later. While giving 'some consideration to Daikie's war service, his Honour said he could not overlook the offence. Th« sentence would be six months'' impri** onmeiU with hard labour. ;