PROBATION FOR MAN ON BREAKING AND ENTERING CHARGE

Wanganui Chronicle, 5 November 1949, Page 8

PROBATION FOR MAN ON BREAKING AND ENTERING CHARGE

A term of two years’ probation was imposed on Charges Edward Perrett, aged 30 years, by Mr. Justice Hay in the Supreme Court yesterday on a charge of breaking and entering, to which he pleaded guilty at Palmerston North. Special conditions were attached to the order by the judge. "I submit that this man is not of the criminal type," said Mr. J. S. Rumbold. "His present trouble and his trouble in the past was due to over indulgence in drink.’’ Because of slump condition, he said, accused had to leave school and go to work when he was 12 years of age, and had also lost a lot of schooling as the result of head injuries received in an accident when he was six years of age. Accused had stuck to some of his jobs for quite long periods. If His Honour could extend leniency in this case and grant probation, he felt sure that accused would do his best to rehabilitate himself in the community. Accused intended to take out a prohibition order against himself. "It is always a distasteful task for a judge to have to deal with the liberty or otherwise of a citizen," said His Honour. "The offence to which you have pleaded guilty is a serious one and is unfortunately only too prevalent in New Zealand today." His Honour said that in the present casehowever, he was satisfied that the offence was due to over indulgence in liquor. The amount of £l5 was not large. Although it, was true that accused had been in trouble before, he was taking no notice of that fact. After giving full consideration to the facts and after studying the report of the Probation Officer, His Honour said he had decided to comply with the recommendation of the Probation Officer that accused should be admitted to probation. He noted that the Probation Officer stated that accused was not of the larrikin type and did not associate with bad company. His report was that accused had fooled his time away. His Honour commented on the fact that although accused had been earning £7 a week for some time, he had saved no money. "I must warn you that you are now at the turning point of your career. Up to the present time you have wasted the opportunities of your life and you are in great danger if you do not take a hold of yourself. No one can help you if you do not take a hold of yourself." Accused still had his life anead of him and His Honour felt sure that accused would like to do honour to his parents and to his brothers and sisters. He felt that if he sent accused to prison it- might prove to be the turning point in the wrong direction for him.

The special conditions of probation were that accused should apply for a probation order and renew it during the currency of the period of probation. that he should accept employment in the district as approved by the Probation officer, that he should pay £l5 toward the cost of the prosecution, that he make restitution to the people whose premises he broke into, and that he refund the cost of the window (£ll 8s) he broke. These repayments are to be instalments as fixed bv the Probation Officer.