FRAUD CONSPIRACY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 23, 8 November 1935, Page 3

FRAUD CONSPIRACY

“BLACKGUARDLY CRIME.” (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Nov. fr. “A crime of this kind is a Wac - - euardly' one and may -inflict much greater suffering on the victimMjhan the person committing it contem plates!” said Mr Justice Fair m sentencing Peggy Jackson, Mima Ehzaheth Armstrong, Reginald Merto Semb, and Matthew Edward Daubney for conspiracy* to defraud a “ aa (whose name was suppressed) of £<o. The jury'had found au tour acciise guilty on the first count which charged them with conspiring by deceit to defraud a man of £7o, and Jackson, Armstrong, and Daubney ouilty, and Semb not guilty on the second count of obtaining £<o by falsely representing that Daubney was the Husband of Armstrong, and that he could institute divorce proceedings and cite a certain man as co--I&The sentencing of Semb was deferred counsel having applied to be heard on a motion for a retrial on the ground that the verdict was against the weight of evidence. Jackson had resisted the temptation to ioin in the blackmail conspiracy tor some time, said his Honor. She was convicted and fined £SO, ordered to pay part of the costs of the prosecution to come up for sentence if called on within 12 months, and ordered to return to the person from whom it came. His Honor said that the accused Armstrong, in j° inin S th ® conspiracy, had acted more on impulse. She was fined £2O, and ordered to pay part of the costs and the money received by her to be restored. ‘Referring to Daubney, his Honor said that it was a class of erim'e that must he stamped out, adding: “Always during my term will it be the'subject of a substantial term of imprisonment.” He recognised the youth of the prisoner and the fact that he was a good worker. He was sentenced to 12 imprisoment with hard labour and ordered to restore £23 found in his possession.