THE SUPREME COURT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15389, 26 August 1913, Page 5

THE SUPREME COURT.

CRIMINAL SESSIONS.

EIGHTEEN MONTHS IN GAOL.

At the last criminal sessions of the Supreme Court, held in May, Sarah Eliza Skellon was charged with the murder of a girl named Minotaur Caroline Bush. The prisoner was acquitted on that charge, and wftc subsequently, at the Judge's direction, found guilty on a charge of attempting to procure a miscarriage. The question as to whether His Honor had the. right -to;so direct the jury was reserved for the Court of Appeal. The latter having upheld His Honor's procedure, Mrs. Skellon was yesterday brought up for sentence. Mr. J. R. Lundon appeared for the accused, and addressed His Honor at some length. He stated that his client had been lying in gaol on remand for the last seven months, and that her anxiety during that time must have been worse than any actual punishment. Counsel also said the accused was not the only responsible party, and that, had it not been for her voluntary statement about giving the girl some pills, which were never actually taken, she would never have been tried on the present charge. His Honor Mr. Justice Cooper said that a great deal of what counsel had said was entirely beside the mark. , The accused had been very properly convicted,, although, fortunately for her, of only the minor offence. As she had previously been convicted of a similar crime she deserved the maximum penalty of two years' hard labour. His . Honor said he would take the prisoner's age into consideration, and also the fact that she had spent the last seven months in gaol. He sentenced her to 18 months' hard labour, to date from the time of the conviction in May last.

YOUNG MAN'S LAPSE,

ADMITTED TO PROBATION.

A young man named Harold Arthur Gruzningi (Dr. Bamford) came up for sentence. He had pleaded guilty last week to theft, false pretences, and forgery. He had found a bank drift for £40, and had borrowed the sum of 30a upon it, in addition to forging a name to it. His Honor said be would take the prisoner's youth into consideration. Doubtless ho had found the temptation too strong, and he was acting perhaps under the - influence of another man. On the first charge the prisoner was admitted to probation for the full period of three years, on condition that he repays the 30s and all the costs of the prosecution at the rate of £1 a month, and also on condition that he refrains from drink. On the other , two charges the prisoner was ordered to come up for sentence when called upon.

A GRAVE OFFENCE. SEVEN YEARS' HARD LABOUR. ''* . "'.' ' '- - • '■ ' '"'■-':-'-;'..■'•'■' : - - ■ ■'■''-' i George Arthur Bradley . (Mr. J. ! R. Reed, K.C), who was convicted last week of incest, was brought up for sentence yesterday. " His Honor characterised the offence as one of the worst;. which a ; man could commit, and as one which must be severely punished. The offence, it had been urged, had been committed while the accused was. under the influence of liquor. That,, concluded His Honor, was * no excuse. , ,TJhe prisoner was sentenced 1 to seven years' hard labour. ,

ALLEGED THEFT OF A STEER.

ACCUSED ACQUITTED.

The death and subsequent cutting up of the carcase of a four-year-old steer at Cornwallis was the cause of Harry Smith's appearance. He was charged with stealing the animal, which was said to be worth £12. Mr. J. R. Lundon defended the accused, Mr. Selwyn Mays prosecuting on behalf of the Crown. j

Evidence was given to the effect that the steer in question had been known to the accused, as it had four white hoofs and a peculiarly crumpled horn. The accused was seen by the roadside, in company with another man cutting up the steer. ;; For the defence it was maintained that the other man had shot the beast, . and that the accused took no part in the disposal of its carcase. .' The jury, after a short retirement, found the accused not-guilty, and he was discharged. ■■..,. ■■'■■;

A SERIOUS CHARGE. PROSECUTION FAILS. A well-dressed young man, Charles Cunningham (Mr. R. A. Singer), was charged with assaulting a married woman, with intent to commit a serious offence* Mr. Selwyn Maya appeared on behalf of the Crown. The offence was alleged to _ have taken place in a refreshment shop in Karangaape Road. The defence was a complete denial of the charge, the accused stating that the woman was so much Tinder the influence of liquor at the time that she did not know what she was saying when she accused him. The jury retired for a few minutes, and returned with a verdict of not guilty. The prisoner was, therefore, discharged.