PRISON FOR FIVE YEARS

Taranaki Daily News, 18 November 1933, Page 9

PRISON FOR FIVE YEARS

PUNISHMENT OF P. A. PUTT TWO CUMULATIVE TERMS IN GAOL. SENTENCES ANNOUNCED BY JUDGE NEW PLYMOUTH SUPREME COURT. Sentence of five years’ imprisonmenttwo and a-half years cumulative on each count—was passed on Percival Austin Putt, found guilty of incest on two charges, by His Honour Mr. Justice Blair yesterday at the Supreme Court, New Plymouth. The offences were committed in April, 1931, the two daughters of the prisoner who were concerned being then 11 and 14 years old respectively. Putt, whose age is 51, was a farmer at Okato, and the father of 15 children. He received the sentence without any expression of emotion. His Honour was asked by Mr. F. S. Grayling on Putt’s behalf to take into consideration in passing sentence the evidence given as to his character and reputation. The fact that Putt could neither read nor - write would make a prison term fall more heavily upon him. The offences were committed two and a-half years ago, over a short period of only two weeks, and there had been no attempt at recurrence. Putt had suffered since April, 1931, as though he had had a term of imprisonment, the charges having hung over his head, he never knowing when they might be brought against him. Putt had been before the Court since August last, including two Supreme Court trials. As soon as the accusations were made Putt had told his married daughter, who could \have brought the matter to a head immediately had she desired. ■ Passing sentence His Honour said he agreed vzith the points stressed by counsel, which said that much in Putt’s favour.

TWO YEARS’ HARD LABOUR

ATTEMPTED INDECENT ASSAULT.

SENTENCE, IMPOSED ON CLARK.

Found-guilty of attempted indecent assault on a male, Horace Piele Challen Clark, a salesman aged 39, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment with hard labour. Clark was charged with an alleged unnatural offence and alleged indecent assault. He was found guilty of attempted indecent assault and not guilty on the second count.'

Pleading for Clark Mr. H. St. Leger Reeves said Clark had been more or less the victim of unfortunate circumstances from an early age. His Honour remarked that there was nothing wrong with Clark’s record; it was very good. ■ Mr. Reeves continued, that it was because of the lack of influence that Clark had developed a propensity for drink, and any offence resulted from this as he had- evidently been more or less drunk at the time. He had been in gaol since August. His Honour stated in passing sentence that the major offence with which Clark had been charged was punishable with lita imprisonment with or without corporal punishment. However, Clark had been acquitted of this and of a charge of alleged indecent assault, so he must exclude those circumstances. The offence of which he had been found guilty, attempted indecent assault, was only dealt with indirectly under the Crimes Act, there being no specific penalty. It was a very serious offence and the fact that the boy concerned was of some mental incapacity had to be taken into account.