TERM OF 10 YEARS

Southland Times, Issue 25514, 7 November 1944, Page 6

TERM OF 10 YEARS

Sentence For Manslaughter

(P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, November 6. Roy Kitchener Kennedy, an airman and baker, who last week was tried for the murder of Edgar Williams and found guilty of manslaughter with a recommendation to mercy, was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment with hard labour by Mr Justice Northcroft in the Supreme Court this morning. On Kennedy’s behalf Mr C. S. Thomas appealed to the Court to give as much weight as possible to the jury’s recommendation to mercy.

His Honour said Kennedy had been properly convicted for taking the life of the unfortunate stepfather of his wife. In making its recommendation to mercy the jury had apparently accepted the prisoner’s view of his grievance with his wife, but whether his wife had given him cause for jealousy or not it was clear that Kennedy had taken a gun, apparently loaded, with the idea of frightening his wife, or at least of disturbing the household where she was living. As a result Williams had lost his life and the responsibility for that was entirely Kennedy’s, said his Honour.