FIRST-RATE GRAVITY

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 123, 27 May 1933, Page 15

FIRST-RATE GRAVITY

JUDGED SENTENCE -

SIX REARS' HARD LABOUR

: (By Telegrapli.—Press Association.) ■ AUCKLAND, This Day. ■ TOund guilty at the Supreme Court -yesterday : after three trials, Nurse EJspeth Kerr, aged 46, who was charged on three counts with administering poison to her foster-child, Betty, was sentenced by Mr. Justice Herdman this morning. to six years' hard labour. _ . His Honour said that all- poisoning cases were of first-rate gravity. "Had the medical gentlemen, who in the early stages attended the child, not insisted that she should go into the hospital the consequences might have been more serious for her, and more serious for you," he said. '' When she was beyond your Teach she speedily recovered, and now-happily she is apparently perfectly well. With' the verdict of the jury I entirely agree. It is difficult to see how, any intelligent. juryman, who was honest and hadany respect for his oath, could have come to any other decision." His Honour also told tho prisoner that, but for the fact that sho had been in custody nearly a year, the sentence would have been seven years, a fitting punishment for placing the life Of a;child in danger. Such punishment would serve as a warning to others. .< "Of course," added his Honour, "I shall disregard, any suggestion.that.you were responsible in any way for the deaths of Mr. Kerr and Mrs. Day." His ■Honour said that in his opinion there was no. justification of any kind for the adverse criticism passed upon the police aud. tho Press. As ■far as he was able to judge the prosecution had been scrupulously fair, and tho police, under the direction of Inspector Cummings, deserved a compliment for their ability: and efficiency in preparing, an extremely complicated and unpleasant case. ,