PRISON FOR THEFT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22404, 28 April 1936, Page 16

PRISON FOR THEFT

PLEA BY COUNSEL YOUNG MAN'S HISTORY MENTAL CONDITION ' QUESTION A request that a psychiatrist's report on the mental condition of Ronald Edward Morrison should be obtained and sent to the Prisons Board was made by Mr. de la Mare, of Hamilton, when appearing for Morrison in tho Supreme Court, before Mr. Justice Fair, yesterday. Morrison, a salesman, aged 26, who had been committed from Hamilton on charges of breaking and entering and theft from a shop at Cambridge, and unlawfully converting a motor-car to his own use. was stated to have a list of 15 convictions. Counsel said prisoner had lost his mother when he was four years old, and had been handed over to an old lady of means, who treated him with great kindness. At the age of 16 lie had a motor-car and more money than a boy of his age usually had. He was spoiled and got into debt, and he stole to get out of his troublo. Then he was committed to a Borstal institution for four years, and released after two years, but without the education and trado which the Judge had promised hiin ho would receive. His Honor: Surely a boy of 16 with ample money was not a helpless infant. He could make his own representations or they could have been made by his relatives. " State ol Despair " During the last eight years, prisoner had never been examined in regard to his mental condition, although he had been treated for mental trouble, continued counsel. After his release from Borstal at the ago of 19, Morrison ran away with a girl of 17, and a charge of abduction followed. He escaped from custody, and his next seven offences were all concerned with his attempt to escape. Ho was given three years' imprisonment, and after discharge committed another theft, which involved 18 months' reformative detention Morrison was in a state of despair when the latest offences were committed, and had lost the sight of an eye. Asked whether the facts stated by Mr. de la Mare had been checked, Mr. 11. Meredith, who appeared for tlw» Crown, said there was a medical report which showed that Morrison had collapsed when arrested in Wellington, and had spent two months in hospital. There was no suggestion of anv mental abnormality, and the report stated that the prisoner's condition was one of hysteria. Duty of Relatives In referring to prisoner's record, Hiu Honor said a number of the most serious charges arose out of running away with the girl and escaping from custody. It might bo that prisoner's mental condition was not strong, and that 'he had not the capacity to resist temptation, but there was no evidence to show that the present offences were committed under any mental stress. His Honor added that he would make a recommendation, as requested by counsel, that a report be obtained concerning the prisoner's mental condition and sent to the Prisons Board. "1 must draw attention, however, to the fact that such matters are the concern not only of the State, but of relatives and friends," said His Honor. "The whole onus of inquiring as to the mental condition and criminal responsibility of a person should not be left, on his discharge,, to the State, but should be borne by relatives or himself." His Honor sentenced Morrison to two years' imprisonment on the breaking and entering charge, and to one year on the charge of unlawful conversion, the sentences to be concurrent.