ALL YOUNG MEN
PRISONERS SENTENCED BREAKING AND ENTERING
Without exception, the ten prisoners who appeared before Mr. Justice Ostler in the Supremo Court to-day for sen-
tence were young men, and in seven cases the offence to which they had pleaded guilty was breaking and entering and theft.
A sentence of two years' imprisonment, to be concurrent with a term of twelve months which he is already serving, was imposed on Arthur Victor Jones, alias John Jones, who had admitted five charges ,of breaking and entering and theft. His Honour said that Jones had a bad record showing a long series of crimes of dishonesty, and there did not seem to be anything to do with him but impose a further sentence of imprisonment. He advised the prisoner to start some sort of honest life when he came out of prison, otherwise- he would become a gaolbird and spend the rest of his life in gaol. On nino charges of breaking and entering and theft, one of arson, and two of sheepstealing, George Reginald Harrison was ordered to be detained in a Borstal institution for a period not exceeding five years.
"You are only 19, but you have a record of crime against you such as feiv young fellows of your age have achieved," said his Honour. In one of his burglaries the prisoner had tried to hide his tracks, in a reckless manner by burning down a house and doing all sorts of damage. The only thing for him was a long term of reformative detention.
Robert William Reay was sentenced to one year's hard labour on two charges of breaking and entering and theft and two of breaking and entering with intent to commit a crime.
On behalf of Norman Malcolm. Kelly, who had pleaded guilty to theft, Mr. J. F. B. Stevenson made a plea for leniency. The prisoner, he said, was 25 years of age a-nd was a married, man with a young child. He had always been a good husband and father, and his previous record was an honourable one. < He had had to- meet a bill for £103 for hospital expenses following his wife's illness! His stepmother lent him £100 to assist in the purchase of a house, but later there was some unpleasantness between them and she asked for the return of the money. In addition, he was pressed for payment of an old debt. He got into financial difficulties and unfortunately resorted to theft. It appeared that he had been the victim of circumstances. MOST PREVALENT OFFENCE. His Honour said that he did'not consider, the case was one for probation because the prisoner was a skilful tradesman and able to earn good, money, and stole from his employer. The offence was most prevalent, and one that the Court should do everything it could to deter. He. would however, treat the prisoner as leniently as possible. A sentence of three months' imprisonment with hard labour was imposed.
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Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 147, 19 December 1930, Page 13
Word Count
494ALL YOUNG MEN Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 147, 19 December 1930, Page 13
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