Bassett then ran off.
the road.
Puttock was subsequently arrested on
Bassett was found in bed at the camp.
DEFENCE.
4.
Puttock's defence involved an assertion that he
was very drunk and that he could not remember some events during the night but that on the road back to the camp he was attacked first by a group of men and then by one man.
5.
Bassett did not give evidence. His defence was
that he was not involved in the attack on the deceased or that, if he was, he was completely drunk.
6.
7. (a)
8.
(b)
(c)
(d)
MEDICAL EVIDENCE.
The deceased died from injury to the brain.
PRINCIPAL FACTORS.
This was a horrifying attack on an unarmed passer-by. The attack was part of a series of somewhat bizarre
incidents.
Both Puttock and Bassett had been out during the whole night and had undoubtedly taken a good deal of alcoholic liquor.
It appears that both, though young, had a history of persistent drinking and according to a psychiatrist
called in their defence were in need of medical
treatment.
It seems clear that neither was at the time fully
responsible for his behaviour.
RECOMMENDATION.
If the Governor decides to commute the death
sentences, I recommend that a sentence of life imprisonment
be substituted in each case.