THIEF'S DEFENCE
"DELIBERATE PEBJUEY" COMMENT BY THE JUDGE REFORMATIVE DETENTION [BY TET.KGRAPH —OWN* COURKSrOXOKXT] WELLINGTON", Tuesday '''So far as each of tlicse tliroo convictions is concerned, your defence was one of deliberate perjury," said Mr. Justice Blnir in the Supreme Court to-day to William Clark, a labourer, aged '24, who appeared for sentence on four charges of theft and one of receiving stolen goods. A jury last week found, him guilty on two charges of theft and one of receiving, and he then pleaded guilty to two further charges of theft.
"I was going to say you are a polished liar." continued His Honor, "but you are an inefficient liar. You liave added to the gravity of the t.ase by supporting it by deliberate perjury. In each of the instances you said what were obviously rather futile lies." Clark was sentenced to three yearsreformative detention on one charge of thelt from a shop and nine months' reformative detention 011 each of the other charges, the terms to be concuc* rent.
His Honor said the prisoner was only 24, but he had a most unenviable record. He had already had liis chances, and the thefts from shops, Avhich appeared to be his specialty, showed considerable ingenuity. He could not look upon it as altogether accidental that prisoner was able to select moments when shops were vacant to go in ami help himself to money and then disappear.
Prisoner, continued His Honor, had had more than one chance. His record showed he had actually been convicted 15 times, although many of the convictions had been entered at the same time. He had had a year's probation, three years' Borstal, more probation and several short terms of imprisonment, and 011 the last occasion, in December last, he had been given another chance by being ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within six months. It showed that leniency was absolutely wasted 011 him. Shopkeepers generally in New gealand would be very much safer if" he were in custody. ,
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Bibliographic details
New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23486, 25 October 1939, Page 11
Word Count
337THIEF'S DEFENCE New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23486, 25 October 1939, Page 11
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