PRISONERS SENTENCED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 142, 17 May 1941, Page 4

PRISONERS SENTENCED

Two prisoners were sentenced by His Honour Mr Justice Blair in the Supreme Court to-day. I William Larsen, aged 19, larm*hand, formerly of Glen Oroua, who had ! pleaded guilty to a charge of arson, one of breaking, entering, and theft.] and two of theit, was sentenced to reformative treatment lor a period not | exceeding two years in a Borstal institution. William John Wright, confectioner, married, aged -13, of Palmerston North, found guilty on two counts of indecent assault on young girls, was sentenced to 18 months’ i elormativ e detention on each count, the terms to he concurrent. When sentencing Larsen, His Honour said the charge of .arson was a very serious one and prisoner’s action in setting lire to a shed of hay had caused a less of “ban. £BO. Prisoner v.eeded discipline and looking alter; be could not be allowed to go on warring against society. The sentence was designed to give prisoner training and discipline. To the prisoner Wriglit (for whom Mr A. M. Ongley asked for probation). His Honour said that- he bad been tried twice. Oil both occasions prisoner went to the witness box and gave false evidence. Prisoner tried to “lie bis way out of it,” which was not unnatural for a certain type of person. Three little girls, at the most impressionable period in their lives, had to give evidence twice in the witness box, and it was doubtlul now il they would forget the matter. That was a great aggravation oil prisoner’s part. His Honour said he could not forgive any person who forced such a position oil young girls, which was calamitous indeed. His Honour was sorry lor prisoner’s wife and had been charmed with the way she had stuck to prisoner nr\d was still doing so. That was to her credit and il he could have dealt 'with prisoner differently, for her sake, he would have clone so, but what was the good of lotting prisoner out to do the same thing again and try to lie ha-w-ay out of it again.