A LAST CHANCE

Grey River Argus, 29 October 1934, Page 6

A LAST CHANCE

CUDBY SENTENCES Appeal from Dock (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, October 28. A brief, but moving, plea from the dock after counsel had spoken on his behalf and when Judge Ostler was about to pass sentence upon him in the Supreme Court, saved Mervyn Cudby from being declared an habitual criminal. With his brother, Arthur Cudby, he appeared for sentence on five charges ol housebreaking, t<? which Arthur, near the eml of the trial, had dramatically pleaded guilty on Thursday, and on which Mervyn was found guilty by the .jury. 1 his morning each pleaded guilty to four other charges of housebreaking, and to a charge of having been found unlawfully in possession of housebreak ing instruments. Judge Ostler, although having .just previously expressed his intention of doing so, refrained from declaring Mervyn a habitual criminal, and ordered reformative detention for a period not exceeding four years. Arthur Cudby was sentenced similarly to a period not exceeding three years. Judge Ostler referred to the fact that there had been an epidemic of housebreaking in Wellington, and that it had ceased immediately on the arrest of the prisoners, and that the police had prepared evidence in fifty cases against them. He did not like to declare a man a habitual criminal. He had always hesitated to do so. In ten years that he had been a Judge, he had only done it on two occasions. It seemed to him that he would be failing in his duty to the public if he failed to declare Mervyn Cudby a habitual criminal.

At this point Mervyn Cudby appealed to His Honour not to declare him a habitual criminal this time, but to give him one last chance. He would make up his mind to give up crime when he had finished his sentence. Judge Ostler said he would give him a chance, although he was not sure that he was not failing in his duty to the public. George Paul Zac key was found guilty on five charges of obtaining £95 by false pretences, ami was sentenced to nine months’ hard labour.