ABOMINABLE CRIME ALLEGED

NZ Truth, Issue 890, 16 December 1922, Page 6

ABOMINABLE CRIME ALLEGED

A Mother at Twelve

In the .' 'Wellington Magistrate's Court on Wednesday two hulking young men, Timothy O'Keefe, 19 years of age, and his brother, Francis Michael O'Keefe, aged 18 years, were charged with incest. The victim is only 12 years of age and has already given birth to a child. Lawyer Jackson appeared on behalf of the two accused and Chief Detective Kemp conducted the prosecution. The cases were .taken separately. The story is an appalling one. The unfortunate girl lives m A LONELY FARMHOUSE near Mangaweka with her father and three brothers — tlie_ two accused and another, aged 15 years. The mother died when the girl was five months old and the home has suffered from

the want of a woman's attentions ever since, and has reached an atrociously filthy condition. In this home the family was brought up by the father, the, eldest child, the accused Timothy, being only 7 years old at the death of the mother. The girl will not reach the age of thirteen until . February next. She is. the merest child, of course, though rather a big girl for her age. She was ln the. fourth standard when she was compelled to leave school at Mangaweka, and was brought to Wellington by an old friend of her mother for the confinement, which took place m the Alexandra Home. She alleged that one of her brothers was the father. She had never, told anyone of this until her condition became such that she spoke to the lady who brought her to Wellington.

Detective -Sergeant Cameron. of Wanganui, giving evidence m regard to the older brother, Timothy, stated that when he interviewed the accused

prior to the arrest and read him the allegations made against him by his sister accused made a written statepent m which he declared he had had /intercourse with the girl only twice. "After the last occasion," continued the statement, "I REALISED WHAT I WAS DOING and I knocked it off." In the case of the younger brother, Michael Francis, the girl's evidence was that he \vaa the first to commence the practice. As there was no admission or evidence of guilt ln this case beyond the girj'e statement, Lawyer Jackson contended there was no case tor the Supreme Court. Magistrate Riddell thought otherwise and Michael, who pleaded not guilty, was sent with his brother Timothy, who had entered a similar plea, to the Supreme Court for trial. Bail was allowed.