PRISONERS PAY THE PENALTY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17757, 29 January 1926, Page 7

PRISONERS PAY THE PENALTY.

WAIKUKU STORE THIEF GETS PROBATION.

Several prisoners were sentenced today by Mr Justice Adams. RESULT OF DRUNKEN BOUT. Edward Teague had pleaded guilty to breaking and entering a Kaikoura Hotel and stealing money from the bar.

Mr M'Lachlan said that Teague had served with the Australian forces in the war. He went on the land, but took a position in the Kaikoura Hotel, was dismissed owing to drink, went back and stole £3O while still drunk. He would do well if he could go back to the land.

Mr Brown, for the Crown Prosecutor, said that it was quite true that the police report on Teague was favourable, but offences of that character were increasing. Teague was verydrunk when he committed the crime. His Honor said that it was obvious that Teague was not a criminal in the usual sense. lie owed his downfall to excessive indulgence in liquor, and the crime was the outcome of a drunken bout. He would be admitted to probation for two years, on condition that he took out a prohibition order against himself. NO MOTIVE FOR CRIME. Norman Ralph Harrison came up for breaking and entering a Waikuku store on January 2 and stealing cigarettes and a small sum of money.

Mr M. J. Gresson said that Harrison was thirty-one years of age. . He earned a salary of £4OO a year and had handled thousands of pounds without abusing the confidence reposed in him. The only explanation he gave for his crime was that he did not know what he was doing. He actually had money in his pocket at the time, and there was no obvious motive. He would pay the value of goods taken and repay the stolen cash. There was no sug gestion even of drunkenness at the time.

“It is difficult to understand the prisoner's motive,” his Honor said. “The results were practically valueless to him. I think I should give him probation. He will be admitted to probation for two years on condition that he takes out a prohibition order and makes restitution amounting to £5 6s 6d.”

WOMAN TO SERVE TWELVE MONTHS.

Mary Joyce, a middle-aged woman, who was somewhat tearful in the dock, had pleaded guilty to stealing a fur valued at £7 from the dwelling of Bessie Evelyn Ritchie.

“It is always painful to deal with charges against women,” his Honoi said. “Considering the probation officer's report and the prisoner’s record, the most merciful thing is to sentence her for a substantial term, in order that she may have an opportunity to break away from undesirable associations She will be sentenced to twelvemonths’ imprisonment.” QUALIFIED AS HABITUAL. False pretences, theft and forgeryare a list of offences against Samuel Arthur Pudney. His latest offences were obtaining goods at Christchurch and Timaru by valueless cheques. He passed the cheques in Christchurch to J. Plimsoll, mercer, and R. Hannah and Co. Pudney, in a written statement, pleaded that his downfall was involuntary and was caused by irresponsibility, the result of drink. His Honor said that there was no doubt that Pudney’s criminal career was persistent and that he was inveter ate. ITe had qualified as an habitual criminal, and he would be declared one and be sentenced to two years’ imprisonment on each charge, the sentences to be concurrent. REFORMATIVE TREATMENT FOR YOUNG MAN. Mr M'Lachlan made an appeal for leniency for Charles Edward Southerwood, 22 years of age, who was convicted of breaking and entering a dwelling and committing theft. Three charges. Mr M'Lachlan said that Southerwood was of weak intellect, and that he had been adequately' punished by the disgrace he had brought on his family. Counsel asked that Southerwood should be sent to the Borstal institute. His Honor said that the reports showed that even in Southerwood's own home the rooms had to be kept locked to keep things from him.

Southerwood was sentenced to reformative treatment for a period not exceeding two years.