CRIMINAL SESSIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16460, 9 February 1917, Page 5

CRIMINAL SESSIONS.

. SIX YEARS' IMPRISONMENT. "Yon are a menace to the community, and are not a fit and proper person to be at large," said His Honor Mr. Justice Hosking at the Supreme Court yesterday, when sentencing Albert Edward Johnston (Mr. R. A. Singer), a man aged 32 years, to six years' imprisonment with hard labour on two charges of indecent assault. Johnston had previously pleaded guilty in the lower Court, and counsel urged that on that account, seeing that the country had been saved the expense of a trial, Johnston should be entitled to the leniency of the Court. The Hon. J. A. Tole directed His Honor's attention to the fact that the police report in Johnston's case was unsatisfactory. In imposing tho sentence, His Honor Baid that had the case been tried in America the Court might probably have ordered a very much more severe penalty. In English law the maximum sentence was 10 years' imprisonment. JURY FAILS TO AGREE. . In the caso in which Harry Ambrose Brinkotf, alias Harry Leo (Mr. H. H. Ostler) was charged with having committed rape on a young girl in Western Park, and also with carnal knowledge, the jury, after having deliberated for the full period of four hours, was unable to agree. A new trial was fixed for Monday next.