CRIME PUNISHED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21493, 17 May 1933, Page 14

CRIME PUNISHED

THEFT AND FORGERY

YOUNG MAN'S OFFENCES

TWO YEARS' DETENTION

Nine prisoners were sentenced in the Supreme Court yesterday by Mr. Justice Smith. ' On behalf of Erie Marsden Culpan, aged 29, found guilty on 14 charges of theft totalling £lOl and three charges of forgery, Mr. Sullivan urged that probation was desirable in view of prisoner's health and need of special diet. Ho said also that Culpan's former employers, the New Zealand Dry Cleaning Company, had offered to endeavour to find him work.

Dr. Donald McKenzie said he thought prisoner should be on a very restricted diet such as ho would not get in prison. His Honor: On the other hand, if ho were out in the open spaces at a prison camp it might do him good? Dr. McKenzie,: I think that part of it would.

His Honor said prisoner had misappropriated £SO from tho same employer. He had not been prosecuted, but had been kept in employment to enable him to make restitution.. During that time the recent offences had been committed. If he needed a special diet no doubt the doctor would see that he got it. He would bo sentenced to tiyo years' reformative detention on each charge, tho sentences to be concurrent.

€ CREDIT WHILE BANKRUPT

JUDGE GRANTS PROBATION'

For obtaining credit while ho was an undischarged bankrupt and failing to keep books of account, Lawrence William Pickett was granted probation for three years and prohibiten, during that time, from entering business on his own account.

For accused Mr. Northcroft submitted it was only a borderline case. While it did appear that the jury was entitled to think recklessness had been displayed, he submitted that prisoner had been misled into thinking that his affairs were being watched by his associates. In granting probation His Honor said thero was no doubt prisoner had acted in an irresponsible way. SHOTS AT NIGHT FARM HAND SENTENCED Sentence was passed on Colin Alfred Jensen, farm hand, aged 25, for firing a revolver into a dwelling house with intent, to intimidate, and for securing a firearm by way of trespass. On the first charge he was sentenced to a period of reformative detention not exceeding two years, and on the second he was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called on at any time within two years.

Mr. Finlay, speaking on prisoner's behalf, said there were two views that could bo taken of the case—one that the act was irresponsible and unconsidered, and the other, that it was an act which might easily have had disastrous results. He proposed to ask His Honor to take a middle line. Prisoner had had a defective education and had passed only tho fifth standard at a country school. From a young man in his position one would not expect to find the same refinement and balance of judgment, that would be looked for in one of better education and wider experience. His Honor said the offence of which prisoner had been found guilty was a serious one. The probation officer did not induce him to take a light view of it. He reported that on January 12 prisoner was convicted of theft and of obtaining credit by fraud. It appeared that ho stole a rifle from Te Puke, and went to Morrinsville, where he baifdaged up his arm and claimed accident allowance. He obtained board and residence to tho value of £9. He was treated leniently and admitted to probation for two years, and then he committed this offence of firing a revolver into a dwelling house. In the circumstances His Honor was unable to takp a very lenient view of tho position. Hi& Honor then pronounced sentence. ASSAULT BY HAWKER THREE YEARS IN PRISON Three years' imprisonment was imposed upon Givan Ganish, an Indian hawker, aged 31, for assault causing actual bodily harm to Thomas McFadden. Mr. Noble said prisoner was literally a pariah, an outcast, in his own country and in New Zealand, where he had been for 14 years. He appeared to think that everybody's hand was against him, and it seemed he did not appreciate the law of this country. His Honor said prisoner had been convicted on 50 occasions since 1921. His offences included drunkenness and as'"sault. Even his own countrymen had brought him before tho Court. The probation officer reported that he was a pest to tlie community and while- prisoner might have very unfortunate hereditary tendencies, the matter had to be viewed in a practical way. His Honor then pronounced sentence. i i » MOST BRUTAL ASSAULT" ONE YEAR IN PRISON "You committed a' most brutal assault," said His Honor, when Robert Telford Wilson, labourer, aged 58, appeared for sentence on a charge of causing actual bodily harm to William Buckley. Tho incident took place near the Tarnaki Bridge on December 23. Prisoner said lie had obtained good references all through the Waikato in the past 46 years and his character had been very good up to now. He had already been in prison, on remand, l'or five months. His Honor said he would tako that into account, but bodily harm was a very serious thing. Prisoner had,broken his victim's jaw on both sides. Ho would bo sentenced to one year's imprisonment. CHARGES OF INDECENCY PERIOD OF DETENTION ' Reformative detention for a period not exceeding five years was imposed on William James Bleakley, on three counts of indecent assault. Mr. Sullivan said prisoner had been indulging in liquor. Ho was informed that a more moral man than prisoner was hard to find, but when ho touched alcoholic liquor he was a different man. His Honor said accused must be kept away from tho public, to whom ho was a menace, for a considerable time. He then pronounced sentence.