CRIME PUNISHED

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 26, 31 January 1930, Page 11

CRIME PUNISHED

PRISONERS SENTENCED

TWO HABITUAL CRIMINALS

Two of the prisoners who appeared before Mr. Justice JJeed in the Supreme Court to-day for sentence wcro declared habitual criminals, and two others were warned by his Honour that their records would justify their being so declared if they came before tho Court again. Appearing for James Maxwell, who was charged jointly with Jack Messenger with breaking and entering by night with intent to commit a crime, Mr. J. S. Jlanna said that the offence was the result of driuk and the aftereffects of war service. His Honour, after reading the prisoner 'a record, which showed numerous convictions, said that Maxwell might have taken to drink after what happened at tho war, but the duty of the Court was to protect tho public as far as possible. He had come to the conclusion that the prisoner should be declared an habitual criminal. A sentence of twelve months' imprisonment with hard labour was imposed. Messenger, who had two previous convictions, was also sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment with hard labour. I Arthur House, who had pleaded guilty to breaking and entering and theft, asked for leniency on the ground that the offences were committed while he was out of work and drinking. Uis Honour said that, judging from thi; prisoner's record of convictions in England and Australia, he would be justified in declaring him an habitual criminal, but he would give him one moro chance. A sentence of eighteen months' imprisonment with hard labour was imposed. "A DANGEROUS INDIVIDUAL." For arson at Palmerston North, Henry | Ball, aged 65, for whom Mr. J. D. Willis acted, was sentenced to two years' j reformative detention. His Honour remarked that the offence was a very serious one, and it appeared that it was committed out of revenge. The prisoner pleaded,that h^had been | refused employment repeatedly by the proprietor of the registry office, which he had tried to set fire to. His Honour: "There is no duty on the part of a registry office keeper to find you employment. I think you are rather a dangerous individual." "MENACE TO COMMUNITY." "I had a good few drinks and'went into the wrong house," said John Wilson, who had admitted breaking and entering and. theft. His Honour: "I suppose you thought it was your watch you picked up off the table. . . . According to the Probation Officer's report, you arc not likely to reform, and you are certainly a menace to the community." The prisoner was sentenced to . two years' imprisonment with hard labour, and he was declared an habitual criminal. • In the case of Alexander Kyle, charged jointly with Lewia Arthur Courtney with breaking and entering by night with intent to commit a crime, his Honour ordered the prisoner to come up for sentence, if called upon, within three months, and to leave New Zealand within two months. Counsel for Kyle. (Mr. H. J. V. James) stated that the young man had como out from Scotland to follow his occupation as a baker. He had been obliged to work as a labourer near Murchison, and had associated with Courtney, who did not disclose his police record. The two had visited Nelson at Christmas time, and under the influence of drink, had committed the offence. Kyle's parents liad offered him his passage back to Scotland early this month, but he had decided to wait a month or two. Courtney was sentenced to two years' detention in a Borstal institution. With" twenty-one previous convictions against Trim, Alfred Croft, who had admitted assault and robbery at Picton, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment with hard labour. Counsel for the prisoner (Mr. C. Arndt) urged that the robbery was committed on the spur of the moment, after tho assault. His Honour observed that what appeared from tho depositions was that the prisoner used a woman as a decoy, and then made it an excuse that tho other man was with her to knock him out. Bobbery with violence was regarded as a very serious crime, said his Honour. However, ho was not entirely satisfied that the woman was used as a decoy. The present conviction would justify any Court in declaring the prisoner an habitual criminal.