SENT TO BORSTAL

Evening Star, Issue 20591, 17 September 1930, Page 12

SENT TO BORSTAL

YOUTH SENTENCED FOR BREAKING AND ENTERING

MORAL EDUCATION AND DISCIPLINE REQUIRED

Five charges of breaking, entering, and theft by day from shops, and ono charge of breaking, entering a shop by day with intent to commit a crime, were brought against Arthur Edwin All press, who appeared before His Honour Mr Justice Kennedy, in the Supremo Court, this morning for sentence.

Mr A. C. Hanlon, K.C., with him Mr 11. H. Simpson, appeared for the prisoner. Mr Hanlon said the accused was not yet eighteen years of age, and was the son of highly respectable people. On account of his frail constitution he had been taken from school alter ho had passed the third standard. Since babyhood ho had suffered from pneumonia, bronchitis, and congestion of the lungs, and nearly all his life ho had been under medical treatment. For the past ten months he had been working as an assistant cinema operator and bad been able to earn thirty shillings a week. Nothing could be said in extenuation of the offences, and unfortunately the youth had previously been convicted ot two offences, for which ho was placed on probation. On that occasion ho was in company with an older youth of a character that prompted the judge to sentence him to detention, while the present accused was granted probation, the offences were not burglaries or breaking by night, but were committed by day. I'he mother of the hoy was very much upset, as she felt that she was to some extent responsible for the youth looking for money, because of the thirty shillings which he earned, she gave him only five shillings, most of which wont for tram fares to his work., Sh© realised now that perhaps that was unwise,’ as be had been tempted to give way to a desire to get money in other directions. Learned counsel suggested that His Honour might sentence the lad to the minimum term in the Borstal. The hoy realised the seriousness of the position. The Crown Prosecutor (Mr F. B. Adams) said the mother need hardly blame herself by imagining that the crimes wore due to the absence of a few shillings in the youth’s pockets. On one occasion a companion and he stole £5 8s ml, but that was not sufficient to deter them, for shortly after they entered another shop and stole £l2 17s 2d. More money was soon stolen from another shop. Accused, had had his chance two years ago, after being involved in two cases of a similar kind.

“ A little over a year ago yon wore placed in the charge of the Child Welfare Officer,” said His Honour to the prisoner. “ You were then convicted of three offences involving dishonesty, one offence being breaking, entering, and theft. While under charge of that officer you have returned to former habits and been guilty of systematic 1 breaking by day into shops in different parts of the city. Indeed, you now appear before me upon no less than six charges of breaking, entering, and theft. As your counsel has quite properly admitted, the probation that has hitherto been extended to you has failed to deter you yourself from committing crime, and also failed to deter you from involving as it appears to me, another juvenile with you in your crime. That latter aspect is a serious one. It is very clear from your past record that you are in great neodof moral education and discipline. 1 think in your case I should impose a slightly longer period of detention in the Borstal Institution than the minimium two years. The sentence of the court is that you bo detained in the Borstal Institution for a period of two years and six months. That is the sentence upon'each charge, the sentences to bo concurrent.”