DEATH SENTENCE PASSED ON DUGAN AND MEAR'S

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 June 1950, Page 6

DEATH SENTENCE PASSED ON DUGAN AND MEAR'S

SYDNEY, June 12.—Darcy Ezekial Dugan and William Cecil Mears were sentenced to death in the Central Criminal Court on a charge of wounding with intent to murder, but they are not likely to hang. The Labour Party is opposed to capital punishment, and if a Liberal-Country Party Government should be returned at the State election next Saturday, it is unlikely to confirm the death sentences arising from such a charge. The New South Wales penal code prescribes death as the only penalty a judge can impose for wounding with intent to murder. A solicitor has signified that an appeal will be lodged. The men were found guilty of attempting to murder Leslie Nalder, manager of the Ultimo branch of the Commonwealth Bank, during an attempted hold-up in which Dugan ana Mears were both armed. Mears fired three shots, one of which struck Nalder, and another wounded a bank customer on the arm. ' • . Before passing sentence, Mr Justice Herron said: “You have had a .fair trial- and the jury has tound you guilty. It appears to ■me that ; you have made yourselves outlaws m the community. You have sought to place yourselves above, the l anc * Y_ have set yourselves against decent sor ciety. The only course I can tal J e J the one prescribed by law ’ others to decide whether it will be carried into effect.”