PRISONERS SENTENCED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20172, 5 February 1929, Page 12

PRISONERS SENTENCED.

LARGE THEFTS OF MONEY.

ACCOUNTANT AND BANK CLERK.

REFORMATIVE DETENTION.

Seven prisoners were sentenced by Mr. Justice Blair in the Supremo Court yesterday. Three had pleaded guilty to sexual offences, and the others to thefts.

Reformative detention for a period not exceeding four years was tlio sentence passed on William Frederick Thomas, aged 27 (Mr. Singer), for the theft, as a servant, of over £SOO, from the Commercial Bank of Australia. Thomas had been in the employ of the bank for 10 years. There were six charges against hirn, and accused had confessed ho spent tho money on gambling and living in luxury. Mr. Singer said that obviously the man's career had gono beyond recall. He asked for leniency, and suggested reformative detention.

His Honor, in passing sentence, said the caso was a bad one, as it involved a long series of very ingenious frauds. Twenty-seven charges of theft were admitted by Victor William Cunningham aged 34 (Mr. Singer), formerly an accountant in the employ of the Farmers' Co-operativo Auctioneering Company, Limited. A total of over £I2OO was involved, the offences extending from February, 1926, to last December. Mr. Sanger, in pleading for leniency, said prisoner had two young children. He had seen three years' service in tho Great War, and his previous character had been of the highest. His salary was only £6 10s a week.

Ilis Honor said that in such a case probation was cut of tho question. Prisoner would be sentenced to reformative detention for a period not exceeding two years.

Sentence of two years' Borstal treatment was imposed on Albert Gardner and William Gibson (Mr. Finlay), for breaking, entering and theft. His Honor said the boys seemed to havo had unfortunate environment, and ho wished to help them all he could. Mr. Finlay said Gibson was a confirmed epileptic, and seemed to havo fallen under tho influence of a master mind. In the case otf William Evans, aged 17 (Mr. Leary), who pleaded guilty to assaulting a girl, aged five, near Cambridge, His Honor took the unusual course of ordering him to come up for sentence within two years. Ho said probation had been strongly recommended, but there were some features of tho case that seemed to take it out of that category. It seemed to him a case for further consideration and inquiry, and he would adopt that course. On a charge of carnal knowledge at Rawene. John Dyer (Mr. Butler) was admitted to probation for two years and was ordered to pay £7 2s, costs of the prosecution. Mr. Butler said prisoner had to start work driving bullocks at the age of 14, and had worked in the bush ever since. The girl had been much to blame. His Honor said the probation officer hao recommended leniency, and apparently tin youth had been subject to temptation. A period of three years' probation was fixed in the case, of David John Jones, aged 20, who had pleaded guilty to indecent assault on two girls at Te Awantutu. Ho was also ordered to pay £3 lis, costs of the prosecution. In asking for leniency accused said he supporteo his mother at Home. His Honor said he had decided to give him another opportunity.