PRISONERS SENTENCED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17283, 6 October 1919, Page 3

PRISONERS SENTENCED.

SEVEN YEARS' HARD LABOUR. TWO WOMEN ASSAULTED. JUDGE'S SEVERE COMMENT. A sentence of seven' years' imprisonment ■with hard labour was imposed byMr. Justice Cooper at the Supreme Court on Saturday on John Joseph O'Donneil, who had pleaded guilty at Taumanmui to - two charges of assault' with intent to commit rape, and to one charge of indecent assault. When asked if he had anything to say, O'Donneil eaid h was under the influence of liquor at-the time, and was not responsible for his actions. The Hon. J. A. Tola said the offence was a very bad one. O'Donneil vent into 3, house at Matiere occupied bv two women, mother and daughter, and assaulted them. He drove the- mother out of the house, and then made an attack on the daughter. In the Lower Court the prisoner cross-examined the women with the object of proving that they -were of loose character, and asserted that he paid them a sum of money. This was almost a woree crime than "the assault, for the women bore entirely good characters. The man. who went to their rescue said that O'Donueli was quite sober In reply to the Judge, the prisoner admitted having.been convicted of theft at Pahiatua last year. " These offences on women and girls are becoming very frequent, and I see no reason why I should not pass a severe sentence upon you," His Honor said. " You are liable under the statute, to be flooded, and to be imprisoned with hard labour for 10 years. I shall not sentence you to be flogged, but I shall impose a lons sentence of imprisonment— years hard labour on .each charge, the sentences to run concurrently." — - » EMBEZZLEMENT BY CLERK. PLACED OX PROBATION. Frederick Ware, aged 57, came up for sentence on charges of having stolen sums of money totalling £278 from the Lower Mangapika Drainage Board and th e Kaiepuku the Purawera, and the- Wharepapa Road Boards, by which he had been jointly employed as clerk and secretarv Accused bad pleaded guiltv to the charge's and the Judge bad deferred sentence for a week. His _ Honor admitted the prisoner to - probation for three years, and ordered him to come up for sentence when called •unori. He would be required to be of good behaviour, to refrain from entering i hotels, or drinking intoxicating liquors, to report as required to the probation .officer and not to change his place of residence without permission. His Honor said the" circumstances were unusual, as the prisoner's health was such that he could not safely be treated in prison. -.Tie case must not be taken as a precedent. FORGERY ASH THEFJT. ! YOUNG MAN ON PROBATION. A young man, Stanley Brown (Mr. A. J. Moody), who had pleaded guilty to charges of forgery and theft at Papakura. appeared on remand. Mr. Moody applied for probation, as be understood tin probation officer's report was favourable. An uncle of the prisoner was willing to provide him with work on a farm, and hys father had offered to make restitution on his behalf. His Honor said that on these conditions he would admit the prisoner to strict "probation for three years. The prisoner would be ordered to refund the money to his father out of his earnings during the 1 probation period.