THEFT OF LIQUOR

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 51, Issue 129, 13 March 1931, Page 6

THEFT OF LIQUOR

ACCUSED PLEAD GUILTY. PROBATION FOR RECEIVER. FOURTH ALAN STILL MISSING. On remand on bail on charges con l -, nected with the theft of liquor, three men appeared before Air H. P. Lawry, S.M., in the .Ashburton Alagistrate’s Court this morning. A fourth man, for whose arrest a warrant was issued yesterday, again failed to appear. William Thomas Angus, was charged with having received liquor knowing it to have been stolen.

John Angus, James Angus, and John Henry Grice were charged with having stolen liquor valued at £lB 2s. Aly G. C. Nicoll entered a. plea of guilty for W. T. Angus, and Air L. A. Charles entered a plea of guilty for the other two Angus brothers. Grice did not appear. Senior-Sergeant H. Martin said that James and John Angus and Grice called at the premises used by F. L. Coutts to park his car. There was a quantity of liquor there, held pending the calling of people who had ordered it. There was about 300 dozen bottles of beer and a large quantity of whisky. John and James Angus broke the lock on the door and took a quantity of liquor, while Grice looked on. It was planted in the riverbed. Unfortunately for one of them, he was arrested for drunkenness and in his possession was found the broken lock. John Angus had been before the Court some years ago for theft. Air Nicoll said that on the morning of February 23, AY. T. Aligns went to his brother’s house. He found the other three accused there. They gave him some liquor to take away with him. It was not till ho was well muddled with drink after further visits to the house, that he became aware of the origin of the liquor. Accused was not in the habit of taking liquor. He had a wife and three children. Accused, AY. T. Angus, was admitted to probation for two years, was ordered to make resti J /iticn, to take out a prohibition order, and to pay witness’s expenses 10s 6d. For the other accused, Air Charles said that the men had been in a very fuddled condition when they went to the premises. When seen by the police they made full statements admitting their liability, Both his clients were hard-working men, and they realised that drink had been their downfall. They were prepared to make restitution and take out prohibition orders.

Senior-Sergeant Alartin said he could not say anything in favour of either of the men. Damage to the amount of £2 18s had been done to the door. Accused were convicted and ordered to* come up for sentence if called upon in two years, conditions being that they make restitution, pay 2s Gd each expenses, and take out prohibiton orders. If they commit any breaches of these conditions they will be sentenced! to a substantial term of imprisonment.