A PENITENT THIEF.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 127, 1 June 1927, Page 7

A PENITENT THIEF.

FAILED TO PAT ACCOUHV USED THE MONEY HIMSELF. At the age of 64 years, Charles A. Wateon fell to temptation. A friend who resided at the same boarding-house gave Watson £15 10/ and asked him to pay an .account to the Electrical Construction Company, Ltd. Instead of paying this sum, Watson converted it to his own use by paying his board and buying some clothes for himself. Therefore it was no surprise to him when Detective Sergeant Bickerdike called and asked for an explanation about the money.

Watson pleaded guilty to stealing the money when he came up at the Police Court this morning. '

Chief Detective Cummings said that Watson had never been before the Court previously, and his character had been quite satisfactory in the past. He was at present out of employment. *'I am very sorry for what I have done. I was out of work at the time, and the offence was committed through force of ■circumstances," he told the magistrate-.

"I don't know why the complainant put the temptation in your way by hand' ing you the money, knowing your position," Mr. McKean told Watson.

The magistrate added that he did not detire to send accused to gaol at his age. He would be convicted and ordered to come up for sentence within 12 months, and was ordered to make restitution.