COURTS AND OFFENCES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 86, 21 January 1928, Page 2

COURTS AND OFFENCES

IMPRISONED FOR THEFT. CONSTABLE ATTACKED IN CELL. (Per Press Association.) . AUCKLAND, January 20. Owen Byrne, aged 32, was sentenced to six months' imprisonment for stealing a pair of shoes, valued at os lid, and he was ordered to come up for sentence for damaging a constable's 1 tunic. Accused was noticed by a constable from Wellington taking the shoes from a rack in front of a Ponsonby shop. The visiting policeman chased Byrne, who made off, and on catching him, handed the prisoner over to a uniformed man. Accused picked up a piece of rock and threatened to throw it at the latter.

Byrne became very - violent when placed in the cell, and when a con ble entered to see what _was. wrong, accused attacked the policeman, and damaged the tunic beyond repair.

AN AUTOMATIC PISTOL. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, January 20. Ignorance of the laws of the country was pleaded by Mr Anyon in appearing to-day for Cation Cavallaro, tin Italian, who pleaded guilty to being in possession of an automatic pistol and cartridges, found by the police in Cavallaro's house. - Mr Anyon said that when Cavallaro was 'asked by the Customs officers, on arrival in New Zealand a year ago, if he had anything to declare, he simply looked blank. As he knew very little English, one of his bags was searched. Another, in which the pistol and cartridges were packed, was; passed without examination. Counsel added that the pistol and ammunition had remained in the bag up to.the present time and that defendant had no sinister motive in retaining them. A fine of £3 was imposed andi the weapon and cartridges were confis- ! cated.