SUPREME COURT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2353, 20 November 1908, Page 3

SUPREME COURT.

CRIMINAL SITTINGS

[Press Association.]

WELLINGTON, Nov. 19. Tho criminal session of the Supreme Court commenced to-day. Mr Justice Cooper, in his charge to the grand jury, mentioned that there were 19 cases against 22 prisoners. He thought he might fairly congratulate the district upon the fact that for the first time during the eight years lie had been presiding at the Court here there were no offences against women or girls. Frank Christian Olsen, charged with tho theft of £4O from a dwelling, was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment, and Robert Shand, lor forgery and uttering, to three years imprisonment. John Patrick Collins, (a young man, was found guilty of stealing a gold watch and chain from the person of Charles Sheart, at Otaki. He was remanded lor sentence. An old man named Thos. Inchey, charged with indecent assault, was found guilty, with a recommendation to mercy. He also was remanded for sentence. George Leith, /alias Leech, was convicted of forging a money order receipt. The jury recommended him to mercy on the ground that he had yielded to a sudden temptation. Here also sentence was deferred.

[Press Association.] CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 19. In. tho_ Supremo Court, Thomas Jackson Smith was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for robbery from the person. An elderly man named Alexander Johnson was convicted of indecently assaulting a child of five years, and sentence was deferred. Edgar Gustav Mark was_ indicted for having, on October Ist, stolen a horse, ofer and set of harness, of the value of “.£4l 9s. the property of Robert Forbes. He was convicted and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, and was declared an habitual criminal, his record being a very bad one. An elder.lv man named Henry Scrimshaw was' convicted of attempting to carnally know a child of five years, but was recommended to mercy on account of his age. Sentence was deferred. A young man named John James Gibbs was admitted to 18 months’ probation on a charge of forging a signature to a post office order, the Judge saying ho looked upon the Probation Act as one applicable to cases of sudden temptation. Thomas William Dawson was acquitted on a charge of indecently assaulting a child of two and a half years. Ernest Joseph Ditford, a lad of 15, who had tho previous day pleaded guilty to a charge of indecent assault, was ordered to come up for sentence at next criminal sittings on condition that he should be kept under restraint at the Samaritan Home in the meantime.