THREE YEARS’ PROBATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16818, 22 August 1922, Page 7

THREE YEARS’ PROBATION.

SENTENCE ON CHARLES FRANCIS RILEY. Gliarles Francis Riley. who was convicted of making a lalse document, thereby committing forgery, in connection with a cheque for £ROOO, brought before (his Honor Mr Justice Adams to-day for sentence. Mr K. G. Archer, for the prisoner, said that he was twenty-eight years of age and was married. He had fought in the war, enlisting in the Old Country, was wounded in the spine and the jaw. and was discharged in 1916. Tn the following year he enlisted in Now Zealand, went to Palestine, and was discharged again. He had been under medical treatment more or less up t n the present time. He. was in hospital in Wellington for six months. Ho still was suffering from the effects of shell shock. He had five medals. Mr A. T. Donnelly, Crown Prosecutor. said that the prisoner had the 1914 star and two general service medals, one from the Old Country and one from New Zealand. He did not seem to he mentally infirm, but he certainly was different from the average person. He seemed to have made up his mind to get money from the public somehow. Whether his actions were due to megalomania or to the effects of the war it was hard to say. r ! here were no previous against him, but his general business reputation was not quite satisfactory. The Rev F. Rule, probation officer, in reply to bis Honor, said be thought that the prisoner’s mental condition was traceable to the war. It was worth while to try admitting him to probation. As far as food and care of that kind was concerned, there would be no difficulty, as there was a city fund that could be drawn, upon Mr Donnelly drew his Honor's attention to the fact that the prisoner was trembling violently in the dock, and, a ppa r enll y. wou 1 d fa II down. His Honor said that the prisoner could sit on a seat in the dock. Tn reply to Mr Archer, his Honor saiti he thought it was time. four tears after the war, that the court ceased to hear about the war services of prisoners charged with serious chines. Mr Donnelly said that war effects, in many cases, according to medical testimony, endured for a long time. His Honor, in admitting the prisoner to probation for three years, said to him . ‘ The recommendation to mercy made by the jury must he taken into consideration. The fact that it acquitted you on the second count justifies me in assuming it considered that the later transactions were not taken in hand with criminal intent. You must realise that you are being given a special opportunity, and that you fnust pull yourself together and pay ahsollute obedience to the Act under which you are being admitted to probation, and make good again.”