FREER, Donald Leacroft
| Service Numbers: | Not yet discovered |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Unit: | Australian Army Chaplains' Department |
| Born: | Stourbridge, Worcestershire, England, 27 August 1881 |
| Home Town: | Cloncurry, Cloncurry, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Church of England Clerk in Holy Orders |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 21 Mar 1918: | Involvement Australian Army Chaplains' Department, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Persic embarkation_ship_number: A34 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Mar 1918: | Embarked Australian Army Chaplains' Department, HMAT Persic, Sydney |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Sharyn Roberts
A CLERIC'S OFFENCE.
Wellington (N.Z.). March. 5.
At the Supreme Court at Dunedin a clergyman, Donald Leacroft Freer, for indecent assault received probation for the full term of five years, a condition being that he enters the mental hospital as a voluntary patient, remaining there till discharged by the superintendent. It
was shown that Freer was injured by a high, explosive shell in. the war.
The West Australian Friday 06 March 1925 page 11
To Enter Mental Hospital.
(From "Truth's" Dunedin Rep.)
When Donald Leacroft Freer, the Anglican clergyman who had pleaded guilty m the lower Court to having indecently assaulted males, came before the Supreme Court last week for sentence counsel on his behalf said that though prisoner had pleaded guilty to indecent assault there was no suggestion that he had committed the major offence. The acts committed were incomprehensible to any sane man, and tended to raise a presumption that prisoner was suffering from some mental aberration. He wag 43 years of age and came of a very respectable family m England, where he had been educated for the ministry. In 1912 he came out to Australia and enlisted with the Australian forces. As the result of a high-explosive shell bursting near him he was badly injured, being rendered unconscious and suffering the loss of an eye. For over -three months he was m hospital and ever- since he had been afflicted with nervousness. Two doctors had examined him and though they would not certify him as insane one of them said his state of mind was going towards insanity. Counsel said that from inquiries he made he learned that Freer would be able, if allowed probation, to enter a mental hospital as a voluntary patient. Under proper discipline it was suggested that he would be able to control himself. The ends of justice would be met and prisoner given a chance to recover.
The Judge, Mr. Justice Sim, said it was not usual to extend probation m cases of this kind,, but this particular case was a most unusual one. The prisoner, although not of unsound mind, so as to be committable to a mental hospital, certainly seemed to be on the border line, and the superintendent was prepared to receive him as a voluntary patient. His , Honor thought that, m the circumstances, he would be justified m acting on the recommendation of the probation officer that the prisoner be -released on probation for the full term of five years. A condition would be that he forthwith enter the mental hospital as a voluntary patient, and remain there until the superintendent- thought fit to discharge him. He would also have to pay the costs of the prosecution.
N.Z. Truth Issue 1007 14 March 1925