Sentences on Prisoners

Grey River Argus, 23 April 1948, Page 8

Sentences on Prisoners

WELLINGTON, April 22.

“The paramount consideration is solely the protection of the public”, said Mr Justice Smith in the Supreme Court this morning, sentencing William Taylor, aged 72, a machinist, to reformative detention for not more than two years on two charges of indecent assault on females. The prisoner had pleaded guilty to the two charges in the Magistrate’s Court at Petone.

Ronald' Sydney Neil, aged 33. a labourer, who pleaded guilty at Nelson to four charges-—breaking and entering and theft, mischief, the unlawful conversion of a truck, and arson—was sentenced to reformative detention for not more than two years. A sentence of three months’ hard labour was imposed on Alexander George Webley, aged 28, a trainway motorman, on a charge of indecent assault on a female. Webley had pleaded not guilty in the Magistrate’s Court, but this morning changed his plea to guilty.