PRISONERS SENTENCED

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 17, 19 July 1924, Page 8

PRISONERS SENTENCED

CASES OF THEFT

Mr. Justice Salmond had before him a number of prisoners for sentence. Mr. P. S. K. Macassey appeared for the Crown. - ' ■..

William Alfred Twist and Francis Everard Diggle, who had pleaded guilty to two charges of breaking and entering and theft at Woodville and Keilding, were sentenced to imprisonment, Twist to one year and Diggle to six months. His Honour said that he did not believe the story they had told of being driven to crime by starvation, as they had been seen in billiard-rooms, and had evidently gone about the country breaking into houses. It was Twist's second offence, and Diggle's first.

. Victor Charles Hugo Greaves, with four previous convictions against him, who had pleaded guilty to breaking, entering, and theft at Blenheim, was described as a bad type of criminal. He was sentenced to two years' imprisonment with hard labour.

Ernest Edward M'Fadgen, who.had pleaded guilty to ten charges of theft at Cartertori from his employer, was represented by Mr. W. E. Leicester, who unfolded a peculiar story of the prisoner's antecedents. , Prisoner, until he went into camp in 1916, was an abstainer, but in camp he became paralysed, and ivas under treatment for two years. During, this time he took alcoholic beverages under medical orders, and acquired a taste. This led to his undoing. He managed a drapery business'at Cartnrton for a small salary, and under the strain of overwork and the effects of his sufferings in camp, he took to stimulants. He was a married man with a family, and his age was 31. The total amount of the -defalcations was £24, and lie had paid back £11. He had taken the-money in small. amounts, and paid some, of it back.

Mr. Macassey said that there was nothing previously known against the prisoner. , ' '

His Honour said that there was no evidence of any criminal intention on a large scale, or of systematic attempts at fraudi It was sufficient punishment for a man of his calibre to find himself in such a position as he had that day. The prisoner would be admitted to probation for a term of two years, one of the conditions being that' he abstained from liquor. The matter of restitution was left between him and his late employer, and his Honour made no order.

A young domestic servant, for whom Mr.-'D. Smith appeared, was admitted to probation for one year, the offence being stealing a: 'diamond pendant from her employer. Her character was otherwise excellent, and his Honour observed that she had apparently yielded to a sudden temptation.