The Molong Argus, Fri 29 Apr 1921 1
LOCAL & GENERAL.
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On Thursday, before Messrs WM Betts and AM Dunn, J’sP, Thos McGrath (55) was committed for trial to the Orange Quarter Sessions on 3rd May, on a charge of indecent assault on a boy, [Thomas William Halcroft ], 2 & 3 at Molong. Evidence as to the assault was given by Constables Fitzgerald and Frankish.
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Molong Express and Western District Advertiser, Sat 30 Apr 1921 4
MOLONG COUNCIL.
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…
Thomas McGrath, about 50, a stranger in the district, was at the local police court, on Thursday last, before Messrs A Dunn and W Betts, J’sP, committed for trial at Orange Quarter Sessions on Tuesday next on a serious charge. The accused was arrested at Molong by Constables Fitzgerald and Frankish.
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The Leader and Orange Stock and Station News, Wed 4 May 1921 5
ORANGE QUARTER SESSIONS.
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YESTERDAY.
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(Before His Honor Judge Armstrong.)
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PLEA OF GUILTY.
Thomas McGrath, an elderly man, [54], of strong physique, pleaded guilty to a charge of indecently assaulting a boy, at Molong, on April 27.
His Honor: Have you anything to say?
Accused: I wish to call one of the local police.
The latter (Constable Fitzgerald), in reply to McGrath, stated that the prisoner had been drinking very heavily for three weeks or more before the offence was committed. He otherwise bore a good character.
His Honor: I’ll deal with the case at 2 o’clock. I want to look over the evidence. This is the case of a man and a boy, not of two men. I desire to see how the boy, ascertain what age he is, and what he looks like.
When he came up for sentence McGrath said he had been 33 years in the country, and never had been in trouble before. Before Easter he left Tumberumba [sic] with £100, and he had drunk and squandered the whole lot of it away.
His Honor remarked that the case was one rather of filthy conduct than of something more serious. The sentence would be three months, with hard labor, in Goulburn gaol.
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The Molong Argus, Fri 6 May 1921 6
LOCAL CASES AT ORANGE
SESSIONS.
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At the Quarter Sessions at Orange on Tuesday, Thomas McGrath, an elderly man of strong physique, pleaded guilty to a charge of indecently assaulting a boy, at Molong on April 27.
His Honor: Have you anything to say?
Accused—I wish to call one of the local police.
The latter (Constable Fitzgerald), in reply to McGrath, stated that the prisoner had been drinking very heavily for three weeks or more before the offence. He otherwise bore a good character.
His Honor—I’ll deal with the case at 2 o’clock. I want to look over the evidence. This is a case of a man and a boy, not of two men. I want to see the boy, ascertain what age he is, and what he looks like.
When he came up for sentence McGrath said he had been 33 years in the country, and had never been in trouble before. Before Easter he left Tumbarumba with £100, and he had drunk and squandered the whole lot of it away.
His Honor remarked that the case was one rather of filthy behaviour than something more serious. The sentence would be three months, with hard labor, in Goulburn gaol.
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Molong Express and Western District Advertiser, Sat 7 May 1921 7
Thomas McGrath, who was arrested at Molong, on April 27, and committed for trial at Orange on a charge of indecent assault, was at Orange Quarter Sessions this week sentenced to three months’ hard labor in Goulburn gaol. Evidence was given that McGrath had been drinking heavily for three weeks or more. McGrath said he left Tumberumba [sic] before Easter with £100 and he had drunk and squandered the lot.
1 The Molong Argus, Fri 29 Apr 1921, p. 2.
2 There is a WWI digitised service record for Thomas William Halcroft born at Molong. This record (service No. 5709, barcode 4266509) can be viewed at www.naa.gov.au. It appears, according to BDM NSW indexes, that this is the father of the boy mentioned as being assaulted.
3 The Sydney Morning Herald, Tue 15 Feb 1916, p. 5.
“COURT MARTIAL.
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Courts-martial sat at Victoria Barracks recently,
…
Private Thomas William Halcroft was also tried for desertion, and found guilty. He was sentenced to be imprisoned for 60 days with hard labour.”
4 Molong Express and Western District Advertiser, (NSW), Sat 30 Apr 1921, pp. 9, 10.
5 The Leader and Orange Stock and Station News, Wed 4 May 1921, p. 2. Emphasis added.
6 The Molong Argus, Fri 6 May 1921, p. 2. Emphasis added.
7 Molong Express and Western District Advertiser, (NSW), Sat 7 May 1921, p. 12.