DUNEDIN CASES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 237, 7 October 1933, Page 12

DUNEDIN CASES.

FOUR MEN SENT TO PRISON

COMMENT BY MAGISTRATE

(By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.")

DUNEDIN, this day.

Maximum penalties were imposed in the Dunedin Magistrate's Court yesterday, by Mr. 11. W. Bundle, S.M., on four men who admitted that they had taken 12 cars from different parte of the city and had appropriated them to their own use. Accused were: —Frank Caren Swete, aged 20; Walter Frederick Clarke, aged 27; Charles Nicol Stewart, aged 34, and Frederick Cole, aged 34.

Sentences were:—Swete and Clarke to 18 months' imprisonment and Stewart and Cole to 15 months' imprisonment. The penalties represent an aggregation of the maximum sentence permissible in such cases. Swete was involved in the conversion of all 12 cars, Clarke in eight of them, Stewart in five and Cole in seven. The total value of the cars was £2090.

Mr. C. J. White, counsel for accused, isaid that while nothing could be said in extenuation of the offences, it was yet true that the owners of most of the cars had not taken the most elementary precautions to safeguard their cars.

The Magistrate commented strongly 011 the conduct of the men, and said that while there might be something in Mr. White's statement, and while it might also be urged that the accused had given way to sudden temptation, the accused in this case had had no such latter excuse. It was a deliberate organised action to take cars when it pleased them. He must take into consideration the Tact that this class of offence was increasing.

[ Stejvart, Clarke and Swete had taken three different cars and driven on a public highway in an utterly reckless manner, endangering not only their own lives but those of innocent motorists and pedestrians. He would be failing in his duty if he did not impose a severe penalty. Stewart and Clarke were each sentenced to three months' imprisonment on each of six charges and Stewart and Cole to three months' imprisonment on each of five charges, all sentences to be cumulative.