SUPREME COURT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14916, 11 February 1909, Page 5

SUPREME COURT.

CRIMINAL SESSIONS. Wednesday, February 10. (Before his Hou-or Mr Justice Denniston.) ALLEGED INDECENCY. The hearing of charges cf indecent behaviour against George Henry Barker was continued, when the accused, who was represented by Mr Donnelly, was charged with committing indecencies on September 24, at Hanmer Street and Fendalton Road, Fendalton ; on October 5, at Norman’s Road, St Albans; on November SO, at Jeffry’s Road, Fendalton; on November 30, at Idris Road, Fendalton; and on December 8, at Park Road, Fendalton. The accused pleaded not guilty. His Honor ordered tho Court to be cleared, and prohibited publication of evidence in the case. The jury, after a retirement of thir-ty-five minutes, returned a verdict of guilty. The accused, who was then brought up for sentence, gave his age as twen-ty-five. Mr Stringer said that nothing was known of the accused’s conduct prior to liis arrival in the dominion some months ago. There were forty complaints of offences of the kind just prior to the accused’s arrest, and there had been none since. His Honor said that apparently the best thing to do was to lcck the accused up for a lengthy period. Tho penalty was a year’s imprisonment for each offence, and the accused had been found guilty of many such offences. He believed that the prisoner was in a morbid state of mind almost approaching disease, but ho was a menace to society. A sentence of four months’ imprisonment on each of five charges wuld be inflicted, the sentences to be cumulative. The criminal sessions concluded at 5.50 p:m. [Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND. February 10. At the Supreme Court Arthur Myles, charged with breaking and entering at Mercer, was sentenced to ono year’s imprisonment. WELLINGTON, February 10. E. J. Searl, who had been found guilty of perjury, came up for sentence to-day. Counsel made a strong plea for probation, and Mr Justice Cooper remanded the caso until next day in order to consider the probation officer’s report.