XN000022-1973-12-12 — Page 18

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Wednesday, December 12, 1973

PROVISIONS FOR SUSPENDING PRISON SENTENCES

Extended For Another Three Years

The Legislative Council today approved a resolution to extend

for a further three years the provisions for suspension of prison sentences

under the Criminal Procedure Ordinance.

In moving the resolution, the Attorney General, the Hon. J.W.D.

Hobley, said the extension would provide an adequate opportunity for a

realistic assessment of the effectiveness of the provisions.

He stressed that steps had been taken to ensure that as much

information as possible would be available by the time the matter came

up for review again.

Mr. Hobley said the Chief Justice strongly felt that the provisions

should continue in operation. "He is supported in this by the magistrates

by whom the power to suspend is most frequently used in practice.

"They consider that it provides them with a valuable alternative

way of dealing with some offenders."

Reviewing the past operation of these provisions, he said: "The

position is that, since larch 1971 when they came into operation, a prison

sentence has been suspended in 1,362 cases.

"In 252 of those cases, the defendants have subsequently committed

further offences and the suspended sentences have taken effect. Those

figures give some ground for thinking that suspended sentences have been

successful."

/Нометег,

L