SUPREME COURT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9321, 22 August 1908, Page 4

SUPREME COURT.

— ♦ CRIMINAL SITTING. Saturday, August 22. (Before his Honor Mr Justice Denniston.) SENTENCES INFLICTED. William Preston and Ale__ander Gar- I diner, who had previously been convicted of theft from the person, were j brought up for sentence. , Mr Donnelly asked that Preston, whose age was only twenty-one, should be dealt with leniently. Mr Russell, Crown Prosecutor, said that the account given by Preston regarding his ha-ving been at work at Catlin's River was quite correct but when he left Catlin's River he went to Dunedin and consorted with the,. worst characters. On the very day of the theft from Stevens in Chnstchurcli, the accused was warned by Detective Bishop. The accused had previously received a three years' sentence for theft. , .; His Honor said that wherever he could reconcile his duty to the public with a prospect that if a light sentence was conferred reformation might ensue, he was prepared to deal leniently. Mr Russell said that Gardiner had been working in the back • country steadily since 1897, when he finished a term of imprisonment. His Honor ordered Preston to come up for sentence when called upon, warning him that if he associated with bad characters or misbehaved himself in any way he would be sentenced for the offence for which he had been convicted. The same conditions would also apply to Gardiner. : Hie Honor refused to make an order as to 17s 9d found in possession of the accused. • ■ John Herbert King (aged twentytwo), who had pleaded guilty ip the lower Court to a charge of carnally knowing a girl under sixteen years of age, was brought up for sentence. Mr Brown appeared for the accused, and asked that he should be admitted to probation as a first offender. • His Honor said he could not take a lenient view of a case of this sort, but ho would reserve sentence pending .investigations regarding the offence. ALLEGED INDECENT ASSAULT. Stanley Herbert Joseph, for whom Mr Donnelly appeared, was charged on two counts with indecently assaulting two girls under sixteen years of age, and pleaded not guilty. The jury returned a verdict of " guilty " on the first charge, and the accused then pleaded " guilty " to the second charge. . His Honor inflicted a sentence of six months' imprisonment. The Court adjourned at 1 p.m. till 10.30 a.m. on Monday.