SUPREME COURT.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 1161, 31 October 1917, Page 5

SUPREME COURT.

CRIMINAL SESSIONS. The criminal session of the Supreme Court was continued yesterday afternoon. His Honour Mr Justice Sim presided. Mr S. G. Raymond, K. 0., prosecuted on behalf of the Crown. ARSON. Silas James Devlin McAlistcr, a youth of 16 years, pleaded not guilty to a charge of having wilfully set fire to a cottage at Dunsandel, the property of I). W. Westenra. Mr J. Cassidy appeared for accused. In opening the case, Air Raymond said the accused entered the employ of Mr D. Westenra on October 7or 8. He was shown the cottage in which he was to sleep, about 100 yards from the house. At 9 p.m. on October 11 he alleged that he had been accosted by two strange men. On October 12, about 7 p.m., accused was found with a scarf round his mouth and his hands tied behind his back. He alleged that two men had come to him, and had so assaulted him. He also said the cottage was on fire, and shortly afterwards the cottage was found to be in flames. It was completely destroyed. The value of the cottage was some £3OO. Accused afterwards made a statement in which he admitted that he had "made up" the story about the two men. He did so because he was afraid to sleep in the cottage. He set fire to the cottage, and then tied the straps round his hands. lie did it because he was afraid to sleep in it alone. He had never been away from home before, and had always beeu used to company in the room where he slept. The defence was that the accused suffered from temporary insanity. Medical evidence was given that the accused was nervous, and that possibly he | did not know what he was doing at the time of the fire. The jury, after a retirement of threequarters of an hour, returned to Court with a verdict of guilty, with a strong recommendation to mercy, as the lad did not understand the seriousness of the affair. Major Barnes, of the Salvation Army, said it would be in the boy's welfare if he were committed to the care of the Army. He would be kept busy, and the treatment, should be very successful. There had been no failures at the Addington Home. Mr Raymond said that it would be a pity to send the boy to prison, and there was little doubt that he would be taken great care of by the Salvation Army. His Honour ordered prisoner to come up for sentence when called upon on the understanding that lie would not be called upon if he remained in the care of the Salvation Army for three years.