"MOST PAINFUL CASE"

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22984, 11 March 1938, Page 12

"MOST PAINFUL CASE"

VOUNG MAN'S OFFENCES A YEARS' IMPRISONMENT "This is a most painful case," said Mr. Justice Fair in the Supreme Court yesterday, when Bert William Henry Poft'ley, aged 26, appeared for sentence on' 30 charges involving breaking, entering and theft. His Honor added that the offences appeared to be of very stupid character.

Accused's counsel, Mr. Noble, said the case was most distressing in many ways. Accused was the only companion ofijais mother, who was in poor circumstaiices. He seemed to have suddenly lost control of himself and to have commenced a series of systematic crimes. The most extraordinary thing about the case was; that no attempt, hatt apparently been made" to dispose of the property stolen, "so that accused had made no profit whatever from his actions. His Honor said accused'b offences, which were committed over a period of three months, included the theft of articles of negligible value or small sums of money. 11l no case did the sum involved? exceed £5. .

"It is impossible to grant probation and a term of imprisonment must be imposed," His Honor added. When he got out of employment last year accused apparently made no attempt, to go into the coimiary' to do work in ■which he was experienced. He had preferred, to live in idleness in the town. There appeared °to be no reason for the Offences except that they seemed to be due to weakness of .character. Accused was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment.