YOUTH SENTENCED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27385, 10 May 1950, Page 2

YOUTH SENTENCED

Episode At Brockville FOUR MONTHS’ HARD LABOUR “ You were forbidden all association with the girl, and yet you contrived, in spite of all that the parents might do, to meet her and take her to this disgraceful party where the offence was committed,” said Mr Justice Kennedy in the Supreme Court yesterday, when Frederick Clyma, aged 18, a labourer, appeared for sentence for unlawful carnal knowledge. Clyma was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment with hard labour. Appearing for the prisoner, Mr G. T. Baylee said that the boy and girl were lovers, and the prisoner had been caught on the extreme fringe of the law—the girl was just off the age of consent. In passing sentence, the judge said he had considered carefully whether he should not send the prisoner to Borstal for two years, in view of his previous criminal conduct and the present offence. He had decided, however, that a term of hard labour would meet the case. “ Continually Before Court ” ■ Leslie John McCreath, a driver, aged 36 appeared for sentence on a charge of theft. His counsel, Mr W. McAlevey, said it was hard to plead for leniency when the prisoner had a list of previous convictions. The prisoner, however, had always been a good and reliable worker, and had not chosen the path of crime as a substitute for honest work. Sentencing McCreath to six months imprisonment with hard labour, his Honor said that for the last 17 years the prisoner had been continually before the court for crimes of dishonesty and other offences.

Record of Dishonesty The prisoner was already servinb sentences for dishonesty, jnd had apparently relapsed into the habits that during the last 20 years had brought him frequently before the court, said his Honor, when passing sentence on Edward Edwin McLaren, aged 39, a labourer, who had been found guilty of breaking and entering and theft. . , The prisoner, who was not represented by counsel, was sentenced to 18 months' reformative detention, the term to be served concurrently with his present sentence. , , Money Misappropriated “ You misaporopriated sums totalling £593, money which you received on terms requiring you to account for it to your employers. It appears that betting was at times a contributory cause,” said his Honor when John Philip Eric Niven, a salesman, aged 48, appeared for sentence. He had pleaded guilty at Alexandra to two charges of theft. The prisoner was represented by Mr J. S. D. More On each charge, the prisoner was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment with hard labour, the sentences to be concurrent. Married Man’s Lapse William Trow Currie, married, a storeman, aged 34, appeared for sentence on a charge of unlawful carnal knowledge. Appearing for the prisoner, Mr C. J. L. White said that at the time of the offence Currie had some unhappiness with his wife and had become foolishly infatuated with the girl, who, the prisoner claimed, had misled him as to her age. He had been extremely frank with the police. The prisoner was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment with hard labour. His Honor said he had considered the matters raised by counsel, but the disparity in ages rendered the prisoner s conduct inexcusable. Reformative Detention Having been found guilty of attempted indecent assault on a male, Stanley David Dunsmuir, single, aged 31, appeared for sentence. He was represented by Mr G. T. Baylee, who said that the prisoner was a first offender. . His Honor said that, m view of the medical report, he would deal with the case in a special way. Sentencing Dunsmuir to nine months’ reformative detention, he said that if it was thought proper during that time the prisoner could be released on probationary licence. Three Charges James Foster, a cook, aged 57, who had pleaded guilty at Balclutha to three charges of indecent assault on males, was sentenced to 18 months’ reformative detention on each charge, the sentences to be concurrent. Passing sentence, his Honor said it was the third occasion on which the prisoner had appeared before the court for indecent assault on males. “ I am afraid I can only regard you as dangerous to the morals of boys, * his Honor said.