SENT TO BORSTAL

Grey River Argus, 4 July 1944, Page 2

SENT TO BORSTAL

Two Greymouth Youths CONVICTED OF THEFT. Having rejected offers of assistance made by the police, two youths who according to Senior Detective H. E. Knight, treated kindness or leniency as weakness, were each sentenced to two years’ detention in a Borstal by the Magistrate, Mr G. G Chisdolm, in the Magistrate’s Court at Greymouth yesterday. Leonard Andrew Lawrence Wills, a trucker, aged 18 years, appeared for sentence on a charge of theft, adjourned from April 3. He was also charged that on June 30, at Greymouth, he did steal .an overcoat valued at £2, the property of J'ohn Francis Doyle, and £l, also the property of J. F. Doyle. Accused pleaded not guilty to the theft of the overcoat, but guilty to the theft of £l. "The- facts are these,” said the Sepior Detective. "This youth has been staying at a hotel at Greymouth, where he was sharing a room with Doyle. On June 30, without arrangement or consent from Doyle he took away the latter’s overcoat. He took it down the mine and used it while working and at the pay office, but did not return it, leaving it at the mine. Doyle complained to the police and I saw accused who .admitted taking the coat, and told me where it was. It has now been recovered. Under a previous order accused has to report each day at 7.30 p.m. to the police. Just prior to 7.30 p m. on Friday, Doyle left his room to shave. However, he noticed Wills, who had also left, return to the room. Becoming suspicious Doyle went to his room and found that £1 was missing from his money. Accused on being questioned, admitted the theft of the money and had been arrested.”

“Well, do you want to say anything in regard to the present charges against you?” asked the Magistrate. Accused: ‘‘No, Sir.”

“The only thing in your case is a term in Borstal,” said the Magistrate. "You have already been given opportunities. When a juvenile), before you came of age, you were helped, but apparently you don’t want to be helped. You are appearing on remand from another charge, while I obtained a report on you, and you steal these things. I cannot make any distinction between the coat and the money. You will be convicted of theft of both. I have the Probation Officer’s report and I think I will have to send you to Borstal. It is better treatment than imprisonment, and there is more change of correcting you.” .... "He has no sense of responsibility at all,” said the Senior Detective. "He has done nothing to be helped and thinks kindness is weakness “If I give him imprisonment it will necessarily have to be for a short term. He can be sent to Borstal for a more (prolonged period and it may do him some good. 1 will order him to be detained in a Borstal institution for a period not exceeding two years.” , MONEY BOX STOLEN Ivan Henry Henwood, a labourer, pleaded guilty to a charge that on June 16, at Greymouth, he did steal a money-box and its contents, a total value of £2, the property of M. E. Steel. ■ . , , “This young man arrived here shortly after Easter,” said Detective Knight, "and has been about town. On June 16, he was in a hotel and was allowed to go, or found his way to the kitchen. There he was found in a cupboard, but said he was getting a drink of milk, or was there for some other purpose. It was found later that the money box was missing. Accused was questioned and returned £1 in pennies. Ong pound, was still outstanding. However, the position is this, that whereever this youth has been there have been a series of petty thefts. The Probation Officer has reported on him and. this is another case where leniency is treated as weakness. Accused had nothing to say. "I think that in view of your previous record and the unsatisfactory report of your conduct when efforts to help you were made, that the only thing to do is to deprive you of your liberty for a term,” said the Magistrate. “You also will be committed to Borstal for a period not exceeding two years ”