DIGAMIST SENTENCED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17116, 23 November 1929, Page 18

DIGAMIST SENTENCED

MAN WITH A BAD RECORD WIFE ABANDONED IN ENGLAND Maurice William Baker appeared in the Supremo Court in Christchurch on Wednesday for sentence for bigamy, lie married a woman in Surrey, England, in 192-1, left her a week later, and went through the form of marriage at Wellington two and a half vears later.

The Crown Prosecutor, Mr. A. T. Donnelly, said Baker’s record in Hugland was not. a good one. In the army lie- had been found guilty of various offences of fraud, and was cashiered and sentenced to imprisonment by a court-martial, hut imprisonment was remitted on a technical ground. Subsequently, in 192'd, lie was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment for false pretences. In RlL’-f he married a woman in England and left her to pay the hotel bill. Immediately after that hr issued allot her valueless cheque, and at present there was a warrant out for him in England for that offence. There was also- :t warrant of commitment out for him in respect of heavy debts in New Zealand. There .was not, a great deal to be said in extenuation

for him. His Honor considered that the facts of tlie case wine too strong for any undue leniency to he shown. When he came to New Zealand prisoner described himself as a bachelor. The woman lie had married in New Zealand was left with two children. The case did. not present any redeeming features If a salutary sentence were not passed in this case il would he, very difficult to do that, in any other case that might arise. Baker was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment.