FLOGGING THREATENED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20560, 10 May 1930, Page 14

FLOGGING THREATENED.

OFFENCE AGAINST CHILDREN, WARNING GIVEN BY JUDGE. THREE YEARS' HARD LABOUR. " Children must bo protected, and it is just as well that men of your typo should understand that if this kind of offence is persisted in flogging must be the punishment," said Mr. Justice Ilerdman in the Supremo Court yesterday, when sentencing Albert Bacho (Mr. Noble) on charges of indecent assault on a girl 10 years of age. Mr. Noble referred to it as " one of those inexplicable cases." Ihe man had ; always had a good enough character. He was in the Army for 4J,- years, and had been in New Zealand only 12 months. His Honor: Ho has made a bad start. Mr. Noble said the offence did not seem to have been coupled with violence. Accused was about 35 years of age, and he was not in good health. Counsel handed . in a letter from accused. | The trouble I am faced with in deal- j ing with a case of this kind is that at j every criminal sittings in Auckland we ! have a number of sexual cases of this particular typo to deal with," said His Honor. i To indicate how seriously tlie law re- | garded this kind of offence, His Honor ' said that tho Statute provided that a. man who committed indecent assault upon a woman was liable to imprisonment for seven years, and, according to his age, to one, two or three (loggings. In tho present case he did not propose to order the prisoner to be Hogged, but it was just as well that men of that type should understand that if this offence was persisted in flogging must be the punishment. Prisoner would be imprisoned for three years with hard labour.