PENALTY OF CRIME

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18769, 27 July 1935, Page 15

PENALTY OF CRIME

PRISONERS SENTENCED TERMS OF IMPRISONMENT (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. Prisoners were sentenced in Ihe Supreme. Court, to-day by the Chief Justicc, Sir Michael Myers. Patrick Thomas Syron, who was found guilty' yesterday of negligent driving, thereby causing death, was sentenced to If! mouths' imprisonment with hard labor. Norman Williams, for breaking, entering and theft, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment. Albert Kearns, for false pretences by issuing a valueless cheque, was sentenced to two years’ goal with hard labor. .lames Hopkins, aged 44, for assault and robbery while armed, was sentenced to five yeaiW imprisonment. Henry Horace. Smith, for breaking and entering at. .Miramar, was .sentenced to reformative detention, for one year. ,Samuel Jamieson McKee, for breaking and entering the premises of Now Zealand Fisheries Limited, was sentenced to reformative detention for two years.

CENSURE FROM BENCH When Svron appeared for sentence counsel, in an address, spoke to Hie effect that Syron had been greatly influenced after the accident by a passenger in tlie car. The prisoner bad been persuaded to adopt Uie course lie did by allot lief. Counsel said' it' appeared". unfortunate that this other was not in the same position to some extent as the prisoner. The. Chief Justice: If what you say is correct, it. may he—l express no definite opinion—that the man yon refer to is an accessory after the act. Addressing the prisoner Ihe Chief Justice said : “This is not a case ot error of judgment. You were undoubtedlv travelling at a highly dangerous speed. It was through your negligence and not a mere error ot judgment that, this young man’s life has been lost.” He said that it was necessary, partly as a punishment and partly as a deterrent to others, that some term of imprisonment should be imposed. Sentencing Hopkins, the Chief Justice said the prisoner t was fortunate, and possibly others were fortunate, that worse results had not followed his visit to the house. Fortunately the prisoner had not used the weapon, hut it was quite within the hounds of possibility that Mrs. Byrne might have died ol shock.