ASSAUDI ON YOUNG WOMAN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18498, 7 September 1923, Page 6

ASSAUDI ON YOUNG WOMAN.

MOST DANGEROUS CRIMINAL. "J PROBABLY j LIFE* SENTENCE.;.,; I .' -— .... r.9- XELECn/PR.— ASSOCIATION.! ~' j. . . ..CHRISTCHURCH. Thurwlay. At the Supreme Court to-day John Grif- ! -t fiths was sentenced .to six years' hard hard-y |jg labour for attempted criminal assault on a girl at Burwood, three years' hard labour; ; on each of three charges of breaking, ana entering, and " two years' hard labour on c-uih of three charges of theft, sentence:! to be concurrent. i • Mr. Justice Reed, in passing sentience, declared Griffiths an habitual criminal. "As an habitual criminal," the Judge > said, "you will be kept in •; prison at th« discretion of . the Prisons, Board. It weans life if the board, as I imagine it will, - considers that a criminal like, you should not be at liberty. You , are one' of the \- ?]|,; mast dangerous criminals I have hal to deal with." • • '.< . '•' . Mr. A. T. Donnelly, Crown Prosecutor, said a cablegram had been received stating : that Griffiths was wanted in New 'south Wales for chloroforming a girl in 'he?-.vsV|s sleep. ; '■ Evidence was given that Griffiths was ■ born in , Christchurch, and that he ' was sent .to the Burnham Industrial School m 1931. Subsequently he had a long bst ..of convictions in New Zealand and Australia, including. burglary, indecent asunult, [ j £M and • illegally on : premises. The Judge g.| dwelt on the grossness of the Burwooa | • c::ime, and said he would have ordered ; a : r-j flogging if he had - not declared Griffiths; v||! an habitufd criminal.. 1 •'