FALSE PRETENCES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 286, 14 September 1933, Page 3

FALSE PRETENCES.

A BOGUS CHEQUE ISSUED. OFFENCE AT ASHBURTON. (Special to the " Guardian.") CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. When John Robert McKay, aged 19 years, a labourer, of Wellington, found a blank cheque in a room at an Ashburton hotel, he filled it in and secured a watch and some cash as a result. However, he appeared before Justices this morning and pleaded guilty to a false pretences charge. He was sentenced to three months' imprisonment, the term to bo concurrent with three months he is at present serving in Paparua. McKay pleaded guilty to a charge that on August 16, with intent to defraud, he obtained from Valdemar Bernstein, of Ashburton, a watch valued at £1 Is 6d and £3 8s 6d in money by falsely representing that a cheque for £4 10s drawn on the Bank of New Zealand, Ashburton, was a good and valid order. For want of prosecution, a second charge of making a false document by signing the names of S. McNally and J. Soliom was withdrawn.

Chief-Detective Dunlop said that accused had taken a room in an Ashburton hotel and in it had found a blank cheque form. He filled it in for £4 10s and then proceeded to Mr Bernstein's shop, where he had purchased a watch for £1 Is 6d andliad received in cash the balance of the sum mentioned on the cheque. Accused was later accosted by Mr Bernstein, who had found that tho cheque was no good, and accused handed back the watch and £l. McKay then disappeared, hut was later arrested in Wellington for another theft, when he had received three months' hard labour, which he was now serving in Paparua. Mr Spiller, who appeared for McKay, said that the youth had been unemployed" since February. He was only twenty and had wanted to get back to his people in the North Island. In asking for leniency counsel added that the money outstanding would be repaid. He stated further that McKay had a job to go to in December when the killing season opened, so that he would request that any sentence imposed might be made concurrent with the present term. "The Bench takes rather ,a, serious view of the offence, McKay," said Mr W E. Simes, J.P., who, with Messrs E' E. Wiltshire and G. V. Payne, J.P.'s, heard the case. "But in view of the fact that you have work to go to you will be sentenced to three months' imprisonment, to run concurrently with your present sentence. Accused was ordered to make restitution of £2 2s Id.