PENALTY OF WRONGDOING

Taranaki Daily News, 19 May 1928, Page 15

PENALTY OF WRONGDOING

SUPREME COURT SENTENCES FALSE PRETENCES IN STRATFORD. YEAR'S REFORMATIVE DETENTION. “You have put the country to a lot of expense over several trials, and have offered a perfectly frivolous defence and a lying defence. Had you pleaded guilty in the first place as your counsel advised you, probation would have been considered, but now your term of imprisonment will be increased.” In these words Mr. Justice Reed offered cold comfort to John Howard William Tapp wiien the latter appeared for sentence in the Supreme Court at New Plymouth yesterday for false pretences at Stratford on April 1, 1927, when he uttered a valueless cheque for £8 to the Stratford Borough Council, knowing that he had no money with which to meet it. The prisoner was sentenced to 12 months’ reformative detention, which will oe cumulative on the present sentence given him by Mr. Justice Adams at Timuni. Of this sentence he still has 18 months to serve.

In asking for as much leniency as the Court could see its way to extend, Mr. L. M. Moss said that the prisoner was only 26 years of age, and had a wife and three young children. Unfortunately, he did not seem able to recognise the strict requirements of business principle. It was to be regretted that he had not pleaded guilty before, as advised by hie counsel.

FALSE PRETENCES AT HAWERA. FIVE YEARS’ PROBATION GRANTED Harold Middleton Lee, who pleaded guilty in the lower court to forgery, littering and false pretences at Hawera, was admitted to probation for a period of five years. Special conditions of his probation are that he dees not enter licensed premises, takes out a prohibition order against himself and renews it annually during the probationary term, does not drink alcohol during the period, makes complete restitution to the persons defrauded, and pays the cost of the prosecution amounting to £6 os. On behalf of the prisoner, Mr. P. O’Dea said he had been a resident of South Taranaki for over 20 years. He had been a successful farmer, and had come out of liis Ararata property with about £7OOO. He then ventured into an auctioneering business for which he was not suited, and he lost a considerable sum of money through guaranteeing a couple of farmers. He went bankrupt and this and family troubles drove him to drink, which was the cause of his one lapse into crime. Letters were read from Mr. E. A. Pacey, Mayor of Hawera, Mr. McNeill, J.P., and Mr. T. A. Winks, whose name the prisoner had forged, all of which spoke of the good record of the prisoner. His Honour: Has drink got him down, or can he shake it off? Mr. O’Dea said he thought he could shake it off, and as a fact he had taken out a prohibition order alter the lapse had oeeurreed. If the clemency of the Court could be extended to him he was sure ho would mage good. There was work for him to go to immediately on his brothers’ farm if he could be released.

His Honour said he thought this was a. case in which probation might be granted, but it would have to be for a good term and with conditions that would prevent him from getting alcoholic liquor.