WIDOW SENTENCED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21254, 6 August 1932, Page 12

WIDOW SENTENCED

MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES REFORMATIVE DETENTION "It appears that you were over-per-suaded into committing one of tho offences," said Mr. Justice Herdman when passing sentence in the Supreme Court yesterday on Ethel Annie Wells, who had been found guilty on two charges of the unlawful use of an instrument. "It seems j to me," continued His Honor, "that those I who were responsible for persuading you are just as guilty as you arc and should i bo standing their trial. It is a pity they i are not here." j Counsel for prisoner, who is a widow, | 43 years of age, said if there could be degrees in such an offence, this did not seem to be a. very bad case. 1 bo prisoner had been in extreme poverty and tho stress and struggle of seeking to get a living had been too much for her. His Honor agreed that, serious as the offence might be, there were certain circumstances that distinguished it, from those, of a like, nature that he had had to deal with. The probation officer disclosed certain circumstances that, he might take into account, but he could not grant probation because the jury had found her guilty of two distinct offences. She would bo sentenced to reformative detention for n period not exceeding two years.