ASYLUM ATTENDANT

Feilding Star, Volume 7, Issue 2134, 13 February 1929, Page 5

ASYLUM ATTENDANT

SENTENCE OF TWO YEARS

‘■A GRAVE OFFENCE”

APer Press Association) Wellington, Feb. 12. Found guilty with a recommenda

lion to mercy on a charge of having assaulted a patient, at the Porirna. mental hospital. Henry Dixon Tyrer, a former attendant, at the institution, was sentenced h.v Mr Justice Herdman in the Supreme Court to 12 months’ imprisonment with hard labour, to )>e followed by a period of\-re-formative detention not exceeding 12 months. ' . Tyrer. who stood two trials in the Supreme Court (the first jury having failed to agree) was charged with having, with intent to do grievous bodily caused actual bodily harm to one of the patients and alternatively, with assault as to cause actual bodily harm and with striking wounding or ill-treating a mental defective while acting as an attendant.

The jury gave a verdict of , not guilty on the first: count, hut guilty on the second, with a recommendation to mercy. The third count was withdrawn. .

His Honour said be thoroughly agreed with the verdict. “You have been convicted of an offence of gravity,” li« added, addressing the prisoner, "and ha\> committed a very brutal assault on one of those unfortunate persons whom it was your duty to protect. I shall give effect to the recommendation of the jury, but I have a duty to perform to the publie| I shall sentence you to 12 months’ hard labour to be followed by a period of reformative detention not exceeding .12 months.”