PRISONERS SENTENCED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17652, 13 December 1920, Page 6

PRISONERS SENTENCED.

HARD LABOUR FOR THEFT.

TWO REFORMATIVE PERIODS.

Several prisoners appeared for sentence before Mr. Justice Cooper at the Supreme Court on Saturday.

Arthur Fisher,- who had pleaded guilty in the lower Court to three charges of breaking and entering the premises of Winstone, Ltd., had nothing to say in mitigation of his offence.

Mr. R. P. Hunt, who appeared for the Crown Prosecutor, the Hon. J. A. Tole, K.C., said the prisoner had been employed by Winstone, Ltd., for a time. He had stolen goods and either sold or pawned them® The prisoner had previously been convicted on several occasions. The prisoner, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment with hard labour on each count, the sentences to be concurrent. A plea for leniency was made by Mr. Singer on behalf of John Reid and Annie Craddock, who had been convicted of the theft of £39 from a seaman. Counsel said Reid, who was married and had five children, was a hard-working man. He had not previously been convicted of any serious offence. Craddock belonged to the unfortunate class - of women and if given reformative treatment might redeem herself. The Judge remanded Refd till Tuesday to enable the report of the probation officer to be obtained. Craddock was sentenced to two years' reformative detention.

Albert Arthur 'Smith (Mr. Meredith), who had pleaded guilty in the lower Court to three charges of indecent assault on small girls, was sentenced to reformative detention for two yefts. Counsel 'said the prisoner, apart from the offences to which he had pleaded guilty, bad a good character. His sobriety, honesty and industry were unimpeachable, and his parents were deeply religious people. The Judge said it was in the interest of the prisoner as well as of the community that the young man should be kept in restraint. His Honor said he would recommend that during his period of detention the prisoner should be employed as far as possible at open a*r 'work.