SUPREME COURT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12711, 5 August 1919, Page 6

SUPREME COURT.

CRIMINAL SITTINGS,

TO-DAY’S CASES.

. His Honor.Mr Justice Herdman presided over to-day’s criminal sittings of the Supreme Court. Mr A. T, Donnelly acted for Mr S. G. Raymond, K.C., as Crown Prosecutor. PRISONERS SENTENCED. Ethel Esther Cousins and Percy Pascoe, who had been convicted of theft, came up for sentence. Johnston apologised on behalf of Mr Cumngham, counsel for Cousins, for ms absence. Speaking in mitigation of Pascoe’s offence Mr Johnston said that the prisoner, when sixteen years of age, had received an injury while playing football which brought on lupus, from which he was now suffering. Up to twenty-six years of age he had “ gone straight,” hut as his facial disfigurement became worse he was shunned by his former associates, and at length resorted to the company of those who only would associate with him. It was then that he “ went underground-” The depressing effects of his pains, and the fact that he was shunned by ordinary society, must have been potent factors in leading him to crimeHis Honor said that he would take these facts into consideration, and inflict only one year’s imprisonment, with hard labour, on Paacoe. Cousins’s case was of a different nature. Although a fairly young woman, she had a very bad list. She would be sentenced to two years’ imprisonment with ! hard labour. ALLEGED INDECENT ASSAULT. James William Dumpleton (Mr Alpers) was charged on two counts with indecent assault at Christchurch on May 7. Mr Donnelly outlined the facts of the case. _ The offences had, he said, been committed on two girls. One was somewhat mentally defective, and the other, fourteen years of age, was from a Receiving Home. Accused was a baker, and committed the offences when he went to the house to deliver bread.

After evidence had been heard, the prisoner went into the box. He stated that he had been a baker for three years, and formerly did the baking himself. He went on the cart for health reasons. He had been married for nineteen or twenty years, and had always lived happily with his wife. He had six children. He was fond of children. He had been accustomed to meet them when carrying on his calling in the rich and poor districts of London. He denied wrong intentions and acts towards the children.

At 2.30 o’clock, after the luncheon adjournment, the _ jury returned with a verdict of not guilty on all the counts. Jack Condon (Mr Alpers) was charged with having indecently assaulted, at OmstchuTcn, on July 1, a girl under sixteen years of age. He pleaded not guilty. (Proceeding.) WELLINGTON. [Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, August 6. . At the Supreme Court Patrick Carlton M’Gill, found guilty yesterday of the theft of a handbkg Containing money, was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment. 'William Fenton and Bert Aiding, for being found on enclosed premises without lawful excuse, were also sentenced. Fenton was given a. term of two years’ reformative treatment, and Aiding was admitted to probation subject to certain conditions.

PRISONERS SENTENCED. [Per Press Association.] DUNEDIN, August o. In the Supremo Court to-Uay William Baker and Henry Gordon, who pleaded guilty in the lower court to breaking and entering and theft at Oamaru, came up for sentence. , Baker was ordered to be detained for reformation treatment not exceeding five years. Gordon was ordered to come up for sentence when called upon