TWENTY-NINE CHARGES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27388, 13 May 1950, Page 3

TWENTY-NINE CHARGES

Sentence Imposed On Youth

FOUR YEARS’ DETENTION IN BORSTAL

A total of 96 years of Borstal detention. concurrent to make a total of four years, was imposed on lan Maxwell Joseph Sidon, a labourer, aged 18, when he appeared for sentence in the Supreme Court yesterday on 29 charges to which he had previously pleaded guilty. The charges were 24 offences of either breaking and entering business premises or of attempted breaking and entering, one of breaking and entering a dwelling house, three of forgery, and one of unlawful conversion of a motor car.

Mr Justice Kennedy said the offences were so numerous as to show that Sidon, in spite of his youth, was a danger when at liberty, and the public had to have protection from him. “ If there should be good reason to think that you are not profiting by Borstal detention." he said, “ the authorities may have you removed to an ordinary prison.” Mr W. H. Carson, who appeared for Sidon. submitted that 22 of the offences to which Sidon had pleaded guilty had been committed when the prisoner was only 17j years old. Notwithstanding the multiplicity of charges, the total amount of money involved was little more than £IOO. Sidon had gained no benefit from the theft of cheques totalling more than £2OO from Harraway and Sons. Mr Carson submitted that a period of reformative detention would serve the ends of justice and provide the necessary correction.

Mr J. B. Deaker, who appeared for the prosecution, said that the police considered Sidon too sophisticated a young criminal for Borstal detention. He suggested that the matter could better be met by the imposition of a term of reformative detention.