PRECOCIOUS CRIMINALS

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 14 February 1930, Page 11

PRECOCIOUS CRIMINALS

MOST DANGEROUS CLASS YOUTHFUL INCENDIARISTS JUDGE’S STERN COMMENT. . (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Feb. 14. In the Gray case, Mr Justice Adams said 1 that the (prisoner Charles Robert Gray was charged with James Wilfred Gray, and there were no fewer than 17 convictions of arson, seven of breaking and entering and theft, three of attempted arson, three of breaking and entering with theft, and one of creaking and entering with, intent, in which both, prisoners were involved. “Charles Robert Gray,” continued] the judge, “is convicted in addition to these offences of attempted murder, of one case of arson, of four cases of breaking and entering with theft, two cases of breaking and entering with intent, one case of mischief, namely, damage to a motor car. The total list of crimes in respect to which Charles Robert Gray has to lie dealt with this morning is 40.

“Two of the long list of serious crimes in about six months demonstrate that each prisoner, although young in years, is in fact a precocious criminal of the most dangerous class. “Their wanton destruction of property has resulted in a loss to the insurance companies and to owners in Christchurch estimated at no less than £50,000. “Both have shown a callous disregard of human life by the attempt to set fire to St. Luke’s Schoolroom —an old wooden (building very easily destroyed Ivy fire —when a social was being held in the upper rooms. If they had been successful one shudders to think what the possibilities might he. “Charles Robert Gray showed the same callousness by shooting Mr Hammond. By great good fortune the bullet did not penetrate sufficiently far, hut the act, indicates the extreme gravity of what was- done when it is realised that the bullet stopped in its passage only when it was an inch from Mr Hammond’s heart. Only his extreme youth probably saves him from life imprisonment.”

Charles Rlobert Gray, for attempted murder, arson and burglary, was sentenced to ten years’ hard labour, and Jamas Wilfred Grav, for arson and burglary seven years’ hard labour. Both were declared habitual criminals.