SERIOUS INJURY

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25286, 21 August 1945, Page 6

SERIOUS INJURY

BLOW WITH FLAT IKON TWO YOUTHS SENTENCED A warning that he was very fortunate not to stand charged with murder was given by Mr Justice' Callan to one of two youths who came before him yesterday for sentence on the unusual charge of disabling a person in order to facilitate flight after commission of a crime, and also on two charges of housebreaking. The prisoners were Peter Puha Crawford, aged 17, and Edward Thomas Brown, aged 16. His Honor said that from the evidence it appeared that Crawford need not have pleaded guilty to the charge of disabling, and lie would sentence him on that basis. Mr Cloal, for the Crown, agreed with this view. His Honor said that both youths had Maori blood, and both had been in trouble before. The farmer who had employed them had treated them both charitably, kindly and well. Crawford appeared to be the ringleader in their escape after theft from their employer, and this was followed by conversion of motor-cars and bicycles and thefts. "Then comes this very dreadful happening at Kotorua," said His Honor. "You were in the boatman's house helping yourselves and the boatman came hack, and you, Brown, seized a flat iron and struck the unfortunate man a very violent blow upon the head. "I want you, Brown, to know for the rest of your life that fate has been very kind to vou. The blow you struck drove a portion of that unfortunate boatman's skull into his brain, and if he had died you would have been tried for the crime of murder." It seemed, His Honor continued, that for the rest ol' his life the boatman would bo disabled and probably partially paralysed from the effects of that injury. It' appeared that Crawford had instigated the running away, but that Brown had committed the worse crime afterwards. They had already been committed to Borstal for two years for their crimes. They would now be committed to Borstal for three years, which included the previous sentence.