B
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1986
MR THOMAS ALSO NOTED THAT THE SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATION AND INFORMATION SERVICES HAD INDICATED THAT HE WAS REVIEWING THE ORDINANCE, INCLUDING THE PROVISIONS FOR REGISTRATION OF PUBLICATIONS, WITH THOSE POINTS IN MIND. THAT REVIEW WAS NOW WELL ADVANCED AND MEMBERS COULD EXPECT TO SEE A BILL IN THE PRESENT SESSION.
ON THE ISSUE OF WHETHER SERIOUS CRIMES WERE ADEQUATELY PUNISHED IN THE COURTS, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL RECOGNISED THAT THERE WAS IN THE COMMUNITY MUCH CONCERN ABOUT THE INCIDENCE OF RAPE, ROBBERY AND THEFT. HE POINTED OUT THAT THE OFFENCE OF RAPE LED TO 27 CONVICTIONS IN 1985 IN THE HIGH COURT.
+FOUR OFFENDERS WERE SENTENCED TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT, TWO GOT 15 YEARS, ONE GOT 14 YEARS, FOUR GOT SEVEN YEARS, FOUR GOT SIX YEARS AND EIGHT OTHERS GOT FOUR YEARS OR MORE. FOUR YEARS WAS THE LOWEST SENTENCE OF IMPRISONMENT HANDED DOWN. YOUNG OFFENDERS WERE SENT EITHER TO A TRAINING CENTRE OR TO A DETENTION CENTRE, HE SAID.
THESE FIGURES, WHICH BORE OUT THE AVERAGE OF NINE YEARS PUT FORWARD EARLIER, MIGHT WELL INDICATE TO MEMBERS THAT THE SENTENCES IMPOSED BY THE COURTS WERE SUFFICIENT TO DETER, HE ADDED.
MR THOMAS ALSO REFERRED TO ROBBERY OFFENCES. HE NOTED THAT OF THOSE CONVICTED IN THE HIGH COURT. FOUR OFFENDERS RECEIVED 20-YEAR SENTENCES, 13 OFFENDERS RECEIVED SENTENCES BETWEEN 14 AND 19 YEARS, AND A FURTHER 51 OFFENDERS RECEIVED TERMS BETWEEN 10 YEARS AND 14 YEARS.
HALF OF ALL THE OFFENDERS CONVICTED IN THE HIGH COURT RECEIVED SENTENCES OF EIGHT YEARS OR MORE.
HE SAID +SENTENCES PASSED IN THE DISTRICT COURTS WERE INEVITABLY LESS SEVERE BECAUSE THEY DEALT WITH OFFENCES WHICH LACK THE AGGRAVATING FEATURES. EVEN SO APPROXIMATELY ONE HALF OF ALL OFFENDERS CONVICTED OF ROBBERY WERE SENTENCED TO BETWEEN THREE AND SIX YEARS, WHILE SOME 14 PER CENT OF OFFENDERS RECEIVED SENTENCES OF SIX OR SEVEN YEARS IMPRISONMENT WHICH IS THE HIGHEST THAT THE DISTRICT COURT CAN IMPOSE, +
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL STRESSED THAT ROBBERY COVERED MANY FORMS OF CRIMINAL CONDUCT, RANGING FROM A GANG OF ARMED VILLAINS BURSTING INTO A JEWELLERY SHOP TO THE CASE OF A SIMPLE SNATCH BY AN UNARMED YOUTH.
GIVEN THE BREADTH OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN EACH INDIVIDUAL CASE, AND THE FACT THAT THE FIGURES QUOTED EARLIER INCLUDED JUVENILES AND FIRST OFFENDERS, THE GOVERNMENT WAS SATISFIED THAT OFFENDERS WERE APPROPRIATELY PUNISHED.
/MR THOMAS SAID