NO REDEEMING FEATURES

Evening Star, Issue 23811, 15 February 1941, Page 10

NO REDEEMING FEATURES

FLOGGING FOR GAOL BREAKERS BRUTUAL ATTACK ON WARDERS [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, February 14. In sentencing the prison escapees whflf were involved in the brutal assault oil the warders, Mr Justice Blair said that' it was a fact that some of the prisoners, including Smith, had not, in fact struck: a warder, but he had not the slightest doubt that Smith was, if anything* worse than the others. He was cer-. tainly the leader, and had taken fine care that the work was done effectively for him. It was doubtful if Watson appreciated that force was going to bo used, but the others did, and actually prepared their weapons. “ This charge of assaulting the warders to render them incapable of resistance,” His Honour said, “ is one of the most serious the court has to‘deal with, short of a charge of murder* The men prepared to effect .their purpose regardless of the amount of injury to the unfortunate warders who were attacked off their guard. The attack was carried out cold-bloodedly and callously. During the trial I could not see the slightest- indication of sorrow in any way for the warders who suffered at their hands. In fact, one might almost Jie inclined to think they gloried in what they had done. “ There are no redeeming features in the case, and I would fail in ray duty if I did not visit the offences with’ very great severity,” His Hononr concluded.

[On the count of breaking prison witbt violence, Smith. O’Hehir, Duff, and 1 Silva were each sentenced to seven years’ hard labour. For rendering the warders incapable of resistance they were sentenced to 12 years’ hard labour and ordered a flogging of 20 stroke* each, these two sentences to be concurrent—l2 years in all, but to be cumulative with the sentences they are already serving. David Watson was sentenced to four years’ reformative detention for escaping and assaulting the warders,]