LASHES FOR CAR THIEVES

Taranaki Daily News, 23 December 1931, Page 12

LASHES FOR CAR THIEVES

SOUTH AFRICAN SENTENCE. JUDGE’S SEVERE OOtMMKNTS. Lashes were included in a sentence for motor-car thieving for the first time in South Africa by Mr. Justice Krause at the Rand Criminal Sessions recently. Johannes Nieuwhoudt, an artisan, and Joseph James, a salesman, were found guilty of stealing a car from outside the local hospital. “You have been leading a life of crime for a long time,” said the judge, in passing sentence. “You are just out of gaol, and you start again. This motor-thiev-ing is becoming a very serious menace. Motor-cars are no longer luxuries, but articles of commerce and business. It is about time the Courts protected the 1 community from thieves of your type. “I thought at first of imposing the indeterminate sentence, but I shall give you a last chance. But you are going to be severely punished. It will be a warning to all motor thieve® who are brought before me that they will be even more severely treated than I am dealing with you to-day. You will each go to prison for three years, with hard labour, and, in addition, you will get three lashes each.” The judge added that in future he would, increase the number of lashes.