STUCK AGAIN CONVICTED OF MURDER

Grey River Argus, 30 October 1948, Page 4

STUCK AGAIN CONVICTED OF MURDER

Life Sentence Imposed

P.A. CHRISTCHURCH, Oct. 29 After a retirement of two hours and a quarter, a jury to-day found William Albertus Ivan Stuck, aged 40, a butcher, guilty of murdering Bertha Bessie Amy Day, at Paparua on May 14.

The Chief Justic, Sir Humphrey O’Leary, addressing Stuck said: “You have been found guilty of murder, a verdict with which I entirely agree. I think this was a planned and deliberate crime, carried out callously and brutally by you, and I can only sentence you, as the law allows me.” Stuck was sentenced to imprisonment, with hard labour, for life. To-day was the fourth day of the retrial. Stuck was found guilty by a jury last August, but. a new trial was ordered by the Court of Appeal on the grounds that the trial judge,, on that occasion, Mr Justice Fleming, had not fully directed the jury on the possibility of manslaughter.