YEAR’S IMPRISONMENT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20862, 14 August 1942, Page 4

YEAR’S IMPRISONMENT

HIT AND RUN CHARGE TOKOMARU BAY CASE rra . • u..?. •:... . ■ • ? ; PRISONER'S. RECORD b ~ Imprisonment Tor 12 irtortths with hard \ labour was imposed- by Mr. Justice Johnston in the Supreme Court in Gisborne, to-day on Tiri Tipuna, who was found guilty by the jury on Tuesday on a charge —of—failing to stop after, an. accidept. Appearing: ;for -.The prisoner,; Mr; Burnaird asked His Honour to take into account the fact that the Prisoner ; was acquitted -of-negligence- .and That, the prisoner might not have appreciated that an accident had .occurred. ; His Honour said-' that the ’jury’s! vet.-': diet of not guilty on the. .first count 1 was in line- with his direction, but ‘that was because no, one had . se'en the accident that it was impossible to [Secure evidence of, direct negligence, which might-have, been Contributed by the injured’ man. Failure to stub was inexcusable under the circumstances. There was no doubt that the prisoner was concerned iii the accident and that he should have Stopped, - Continuing, His Honour -said he would have considered probation had it not been for the prisoner’s record.. In October;' 1940, he was convicted and fined for being drunk ahd disorderly: In AuguSt ; 1941, he- was sentenced- to two months' hard labour for .theft. Also in 1941; on the same occasion, he was convicted of being intoxicated while in charge of a- motor-cycle. This year he was fined for furiously riding a 'horse and' later fined for driving 1 without-a driver’s license and convicted of dangerously driving :■ a motor car. '■* c? -': : ' • b : - .‘o:e “It seems to me you-are a menace on the road,” His Honour added. The convictions of theft in 1941, -taken in conjunction .with/the other..convictions, made it clear/that a mere conviction would not . stop him leading a disorderly life. .Under those circumstances .he; felt; obliged; to. impose a term of imprisonment, the public safety would be, endangered. and he might bC"on the road to becoming'a criminal' with danger to public life. ' A " short time would be of no Use to" him, and on this occasion he would hav.e ", a longer ' term than previously' to bring him to his senses. The sentence was one of 12 months’ hard labour and that he be prohibited from obtaining a driver’s license for two years, r:.., —, . ...