GAOLED FOR THEFT.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 243, 14 October 1929, Page 8

GAOLED FOR THEFT.

TWO SEAMEN SENTENCED.

A SERIES OF OFFENCES.

"SYSTEMATIC THIEVING." Pleading guilty to a scries of charges of breaking, entering and theft, Leslie Robert Ashfield (25)., seaman, and Charles Gibojn (24), seaman, were sentenced by Mr. Justice Smith in the Supreme Court this morning to three years and two years' hard labour repcctively. Mr. Noble, who appeared for the pair, said that Ashfield was a London lad, and was very ill. He suffered badly from asthma. He could not work very well, and he was a stranger in a strange country. Unfortunately, he came to the stage where he committed crime. He had been previously convicted. "The economic conditions of the country make it very difficult to find employment," said Mr. Noble. Giboin, continued Mr. Noble, had never been convicted before. His position became desperate, and lie was probably led astray by the other young man. Mr. Noble asked his Honor to be as lenient as possible with Ashfield, and asked for probation for Giboin.

"Prisoners," said his Honor. "You have engaged yourselves in systematic theft, and you have pleaded guilty to a serious set of offences which started at the end of August and ended on September 21. Probation is out of the question. The health of Ashfield is no excuse for him, and the economic conditions of the country, mentioned by your counsel, do not justify theft. Breaking, entering and theft have got to be put down. Ashfield, who has previous offences against him, will go to gaol for three years with hard labour; Giboin has admitted nine offences, and will go to gaol for two years with hard labour."