"A VERY BAD CASE."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20252, 11 May 1929, Page 14

"A VERY BAD CASE."

SERIOUS OFFENCE PUNISHED. DETENTION FOR FOUR YEARS, RECOMMENDATION TO MERCY. Sentence of four years' reformative detention was imposed by Mr. Justice Blair in tho Supreme Court yesterday on Edward Russell Everett (Mr. Noble), who had been found guilty of attempted rape. His Honor said he would have given a vary long sentence had it not been for a recommendation from tho jury for mercy. Mr. Noble, on prisoner's behalf, said ho was only a young man and probably did not understand the gravity of the offence. Ho hoped His Honor would extend all tho leniency possible. Ilis Honor said as far as women were concerned these were really tho most serious cases that came before tho Court. " Your case is a very bad one," he said to the prisoner. " You attacked this girl on a lonely road, and had you not been interrupted there is not tho slightest doubt that a very great wrong would have been done to the girl. Had it not been for tho recommendation of the jury I would have felt it my duty to imposo a very long sentence, but I always feel that I must give full effect to such a recommendation.

" Tho jury mado a recommendation on account of your youth, but you tiro not so young as you look. You are 29 years of age. You certainly ought to have known better. Tho sentence would have been a very lengthy one, but I will give effect to (ho jury's recommendation to this extent that I will imposo on you a sentence of reformative detention for a period of four years."