COURT NEWS

Grey River Argus, 8 October 1941, Page 1

COURT NEWS

WELLINGTON. October 7. Sentence of two years’ hard labour. followed by three years’ reformative detention, was imposed on Patrick James Bennett, porter, aged 20, by the Chief Justice, in the Supreme Court to-day. The charges related to breaking, entering and theft, and breaking and entering with intent. Sir M. Myers described the prisoner’s record as shocking. He had been intoxicated at the age 'of 16 when in charge of a car and had been sent to the Borstal on several occasions and had escaped twice, committing new offences during the periods of liberty. It was no use sending prisoner to Borstal again, “You don’t appear to stay there when vou are sent, and it does not appear to have done you any good. If you come before the Court again, the question of declaring you an habitual criminal will no doubt receive serious consideration.’’ GAOL FOR DESERTION. P.A. CHRISTCHURCH, October 7. Twenty-eight days’ imprisonment, with hard labour, was the sentence imposed by the Court-Martial on Private Elmer Morrell, cook of “A ' training battalion, Burnham, who was charged with desertion. The sentence was confirmed by the Officer Commanding the Southern Military District (Brigadier O. H. Mead) and promulgated to-day. Morrell was charged that when posted for active service, he absented himself without leave, ,from 10 o’clock on the night of the recent embarkation of troops for overseas, until he was arrested in camp at 8.30 next morning.