BIGAMY CASE

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 February 1947, Page 3

BIGAMY CASE

PRISON SENTENCE IMPOSED zp A 'CHRISTCHURCH This pay. “Bigamy is sometimes menial and sometimes serious. In your case, it is menial because you were a married man with children. You have done a big injustice to the second woman vou contracted with. You ti eated your first marriage licence with no more concern than you would last year’s motor licence.” These remarks were directed to the prisoner by the Chief Justice (Sir Humphrey O’Leary) in the Supreme Court yesterday when .Robert William Henry Strongman, iiged 37, appeared for sentence on a charge of bigamy. “With your record I cannot do anything but impose a sentence of 13 months’ imprisonment with hard labour,” his Honour added. Strongman had lived apart frdm his first wife and family for about seven years, said Mr. D. J. Hewitt, who appeared for the prisoner. He had not seen his wife for three years. There was an unfortunate background to this case, and the circumstances of the offence ’ were rather unusual, counsel continued. The prisoner’s wife was a half-caste Maori who had gone back to live with her own people. Strongman had tried to forget the past and had contracted a second marriage. Holding that the prisoner was a victim of unfortunate circumstances, Mr. Hewitt made a plea for leniency.