|
ΠΑΓΚΥΠΡΙΟΣ ΔΙΚΗΓΟΡΙΚΟΣ ΣΥΛΛΟΓΟΣ
|
|
|
(V19) 1 CLR 170
1953 January 2
January 23, 1953
[HALLINAN, C.J., AND GRIFFITH WILLIAMS, J.]
MINAS STAVROU alias "ARABIS" OF KONDEA, NOW
FAMAGUSTA,
Appellant,
v.
THE POLICE,
Respondents.
(Criminal Appeal No. 1939.)
Attempted suicide—Observations of Supreme Court as to sentence.
Appellant was convicted of attempted suicide and sentenced to one year's imprisonment. The Supreme Court set aside the conviction and sentence on the facts. The case is reported because of the observations of the Supreme Court upon sentences in cases of attempted suicide.
Appellant in person.
L. Loizou, Crown Counsel, for the Crown.
(Only the remarks of the Court concerning sentence are set out).
HALLINAN, C.J. : . . . . We would like to add that in the opinion of this Court the best way of dealing with attempts to commit suicide is to try to commit the convicted person into the hands of trustworthy sureties for his good behaviour. Suicide is more an ecclesiastical offence than an offence against public law and order. The principal objects of punishment are to deter the convicted person and other persons from attempting to commit a similar offence, and also to reform the convicted person. We do not think in general that imposing a sentence of imprisonment on a person convicted of attempted suicide can act either as a deterrent or as a means to reform the convicted person ; it must be only in rare cases that a sentence of imprisonment as a measure for protecting the convicted person against himself would be desirable.