SUPREME COURT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19784, 8 May 1926, Page 12

SUPREME COURT.

CRIMINAL SITTINGS. PRISONERS SENTENCED. F IUDAT, M'jY 7(Before Ills Honor Mr Justice Sim). BOOKMAKING. Walter Goodman was brought up for sentence on a charge of bookmaking. Mr C- J. I- White, who appeared for the prisoner, said that his Honor wouLl see from the police report that Goodman had a large number of convictions against hi.m. The present offence had been committed while tho prisoner was under the influence of drink. His Honor asked if tho prisoner had been carrying on business as a bookmaker, to which Mr White replied in the negative.^ His Honor remarked that there were 38 convictions against prisoner. Mr White said the man was a good worker, and drink seemed to be his only trouble. He had apparently been working on a small commission, but was not one of tho big professionals at all. His Honor: Is the man really a bookmaker? The Crown Prosecutor: No, that is not the case. His Honor said tho man had made three bets and had not entered one of them in his book. When Thomson asked him how he was to get his money, he had said at the Gridiron bar next afternoon. He had not made any payment, and it looked as if he were merely collecting money. The Crown Prosecutor remarked that the man was breaking th& Statute. His Honor said prisoner had not even taken the names of the people who laid wagers with him. The Crown Prosecutor said he thought tho prisoner had been taking short turns at bookmaking with the object of pocketing the money, and drew attention to a case in which a fine of £SO had been imposed, and the man had “done” three months. Mr White said that was because the man could not pay the fine. His Honor said tho prisoner would be fined £2O, one month being allowed in which to pay the fine. ROBBERY WITH VIOLENCE AND THEFT. Sidney Harris and George M‘Kay Poiwarth were brought up for sentence on charges of robbery with violence and the theft of a cash-bog from a motor bus. Mr A. C. Hanlon appeared for Pohvarth and Mr A. G. Neill for Harris. His Honor; Have you anything to add to the police report, Mr Adams? The Crown Prosecutor replied in the negative, and said the two accused appeared to have been members of a gang that had been giving the police a good deal of trouble for some little time. His Honor said the crime of robbery with violence was a very serious one and would have to be met with a substantial term of imprisonment. Each of the prisoners would be sentenced to three year’s' imprisonment with hard labour. On the charge of theft each would be sentenced to sis months’ imprisonment, the two sentences to he concurrent, meaning three years altogether. TIMARU. (Pee United Peess Association.) TIMARTT. May 7. Mr Justice Adams sentenced George Walter Brehaut to throe months' imprisonment for negligently driving a motor car, thereby cansingr bodily injury. He also ordered defendant to pay £SO compensation and the costs of the prosecution (£2O Is sd), and disqualified him from obtaining a driver's license during a period of two years. John William Davoy, for thefts from postal packets, was ordered to be detained in the Borstal Institute for a period of two years. James Husband was admitted to probation for three years for forgery, but was ordered to pay the costs of the prosecution (£2 Os 3d), and to make restitution of £3O within 12 mouths. For attempted breaking and entering Charles Peter Clancy was admitted to probation for three years, and prohibited for that period. On a similar charge Leonard Charles Haskell was sentenced to throe months’ imprisonment. A charge of attempted rape, preferred against a married man, collapsed, the Judge stopping tho case in the middle of the evidence and advising the jury that, by reason of tho contradictory nature of the evidence of complainant, it was impossible for him to ask them to convict. The jury accordingly returned a verdict of not guilty, and the prisoner was discharged.