SERIES OF THEFTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21968, 27 November 1934, Page 14

SERIES OF THEFTS

THIRTY-EIGHT OFFENCES THREE MEN SENTENCED TERMS OF IMPRISONMENT A total of 38 crimes of breaking and entering had been admitted by three young men who came separately before Mr. Justice Fair for sentence in the Supreme Court yesterday. A man who had admitted using skeleton keys and entering houses during the afternoon, Frederick Owen Murch, pleaded guilty to 15 charges of breaking and entering dwellinghouses and theft. Mr. Noble, who appeared for him. said he was only 22 years of age. but, unfortunately, he had a rather tremendous record. Ho got into trouble when ho was only 16 years of age, and was admitted to probation. He was convicted in 1931. When he came out he went on relief work at W aitomo, but somebody broadcasted the information that he had been in gaol. Ever since then he had found the descent to Avernus very easy. He had become desperate and lost hope in life. This was the man who. when another man was charged with breaking and entering near Hamilton, came forward and confessed that he was the one responsible. Clearly ho had some redeeming features.

His Honor said that prisoner had been convicted in Wellington of a series of offences of breaking and entering, and now for & period of three months he seemed to have made a business of breaking and entering bouses and stealing goods rather than attempt to earn his living in an honest way. Ho had had warnings before. In 1931 he was convicted on eight charges of false pretences and given a chance. After two years in Borstal he had set out on a deliberate career of housebreaking. "There is only one way by which that attitude can bo met—by a term of imprisonment," said His Honorr who imposed a sentence of two years' imprisonment with hard labour. HARD LABOUR PREFERRED TERM OF TWO YEARS Seven charges of theft from dwellinghouses were admitted by Henry Hurst O'Connor, a clerk, 26 years of age. His counsel, Mr. Noble, said that prisoner came from Dublin eight years ago and had received a good education. He seemed to have been in trouble ever since he came to New Zealand. He could get. no work and had simplv drifted and drifted. He seemed to bo a social defective and did not understand his responsibility to the community. He seemed to be a clumsy thief, and sold stolen goods to second-hand dealers, who immediately let the police know. Most of the property had boon recovered.

"He asks for a period of hard labour and not reformative detention," added Mr. Noble. "He said that the general opinion was that, although the Prisons Board might review a sentence of reformative detention, they did not do it. That might be an indication thai, he is a little defective, when he thinks the Prisons Board would not carry out its duties in the ordinary way." His Honor said that when prisoner was released on licence from reformative detention he committed these offences. It was very difficult to know what to do with him. He had apparently succumbed to' the temptation to earn money by dishonest means, and he spent the proceeds in going to races and pictures. That was an idle, shiftless life. He would be sentenced to two years' imprisonment with hard labour. EARLY MQRNING THEFTS HEAVY SENTENCE NECESSARY A series of early morning burglaries committed in the city and suburbs was represented in the 16 charges of breaking and entering and theft, or attempting to break and enter, admitted by John Francis Schdroski, cook, aged 29. He was undefended. "You have a record that makes it impossible to do anything else than eive you a heavy sentence, apart from the fact that you have committed a large number of offences of a serious nature," said His . Honor. "You will be sentenced to three years' imprisonment with hard labour."