GAOL FOR BIGAMIST
“MUST PROTECT PUBLIC” COMMENT BY CHIEF JUSTICE Press Association WELLINGTON. Monday. When Percy Clifford Smith appeared in the Supreme Court today for sentence for committing bigamy at Levin, counsel said the prisoner’s married life had been most unhappy. His wife had been living for some time with another man and he thought he was quite justified in going through the form of marriage again. He had lost his young child by drowning and had not been the same man since. He was quite prepared to mary the girl and thus right the wrong he had done her. The Chief Justice, the Hon. M. Myers, said it was one of those painful cases that must always exercise the mind of the Judge. Had the prisoner been truthful and given his correct description. the young woman would not have found herself in the position she was placed. A crime of that kind could not be dealt with lightly. Probation could not bo granted to a man who committed an act involving the ruin, or possible ruin, of a girl or young woman. The public interest would not be served unless a term of imprisonment were imposed.
Smith was sentenced to IS months’ hard labour.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/SUNAK19290528.2.186
Bibliographic details
Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 674, 28 May 1929, Page 16
Word Count
205GAOL FOR BIGAMIST Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 674, 28 May 1929, Page 16
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Sun (Auckland). You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.