IN GIRL'S CLOTHES

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 45, 23 February 1937, Page 13

IN GIRL'S CLOTHES

YOUTH'S MASQUERADE

THEFT OF CAR ADMITTED

THREE TEAKS' PROBATION. (By Telegraph.—Vwn Correspondent.) WANGANUI, this day. Mental instability was stressed by Mr. W. A. Tzard in the Supreme Court this afternoon when Philip Walter D'Arcy Stewart (19) appeared for sentence. Prisoner was arrested in Auckland last October when he masqueraded as "Miss Lethbridgs, of Turakina." He stole a car from Wanganui and dressed up as a girl. Later he pleaded guilty to writing menacing letters at Wanganui. While out on bail he met with a serious accident and was in hospital for six weeks. Mr. Izard said accused was the youngest of four brothers. Prior to the slump his parents were in affluent circumstances, and three boys were given every advantage, but the slump caused accused's father financial embarrassment, and accused was denied the same consideration as his brothers, which he resented. Mr. Izard said the whole object of accused, was to obtain money and get away from home. Counsel asked for probation, stating the car had ■been returned to the owner intact, while the man to whom menacing ivtters had been sent had forgiven accused. When very youn£ accused had many girlish traits in his character. His Honor withheld sentence anc ordered an independent report ;rom the prison doctor. In the report submitted to the Court later the doctor agreed that j.iisoner was suffering from adolescent instability, and that, under rigid control, he would have a vastly different outlook on life in future. In granting probation for three years on the condition that the prisoner did not attend any public or private dances during that term, and that he paid the coet of bringing the stolen car back from Auckland and alsofthe costs of the prosecution, his Honor said that if it had not been for the medical evidence he would have ordered Borstal treatment for e term.