CARS CONVERTED

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 127, 31 May 1937, Page 9

CARS CONVERTED

YOUNG MEN CHARGED

ONE HAD BAD RECORD. MAGISTRATE'S COMMENTS. Two young men appeared in the Police Court this morning for unlawful eonversion of motor ears. In sentencing one to reformative detection for twelve months, Mr. Wyvern Wilson, S.M., said that lie would probably be all right if he could be sent to an island where there were no cars. The other was admitted to probation and prohibited from riding in a motor car for three years. Samuel Henry Coley, aged 23, labourer (Mr. W. Xoble), admitted unlawfully converting to his own use, at Wellington on April 17, a motor car valued at £200, the property of William George Turnbull. Abandoned At Levin. Detective-Sergeant McHugh said the owner of the car left it parked outside his home in Tinakori Road, Wellington, at midnight on April 10. and the following morning found that it had disappeared. At 9 o'clock the same morning the car was found abandoned on the main Fox ton highway near Levin. Inquiries were made in Auckland by Detective F. J. Brady, who located accused last week. Coley then admitted taking the car from Wellington and said that it was damaged when he backed it into a gate near Levin. Coley further explained that he wanted to get to Auckland in the hope of obtaining employment. "A girl named McTavish, who recently appeared in this Court, told Coley she wanted to get away from the police at Wellington and wanted to come to Auckland," said Mr. McHugh. "He not only brought her, but also another girl, with hini to Auckland. After leaving the car at Levin the three of them walked and obtained rides, eventually reaching this ; city. Coley has prevously been in ' trouble." I "I see by his list ot previous convictions that Coley seems to have formed j a habit of taking motor cars," said I Mr. Xoble. "I know it is most ! exasperating for owners to have their i cam removed, but Coley is very young j and does not appear to realise the enor- ■ mity of his offence. He will now have i to submit to the judgment of this Court, whatever it may be." May Be Motor Boats. Mr. Wyvern Wilson: I daresay he would be all right if he could be transported to some island where there are no motor cars." "That is so, but there may be motor boats at the island," said counsel. (Laughter.) The magistrate said Coley had a very i bad record for one so young. He had \ been committed to the care of the Child Welfare Department when he was 17 and ever since 1933 he had been before the Court each year and sentenced to a term of imprisonment. "La*t year he got six months and this year he has already served two months in prison," added Mr. Wyvern Wilson. j

Coley was sentenced to 12 months' reformative detention.

1 Pleaded Guilty. [ ''Yours is a record very similar to the young man I have just had before me." said Mr. Wyvern Wilson to James Duncan Eat home, labourer, aged 24. i who pleaded guilty to a charge of i unlawfully converting to his own \7se. at ; Rotorua mi May 10. a motor car valued at £213, the property of .Tones Brothers. It was stated by Detective-sergeant I McHugh that Kathorne hired a car at i Rotorna on May 10 on condition that he I travelled only 20 miles and returned it J before .") p.m. Kathorne. who hired the | car by presenting a driver's license under another name, went to Hamilton, ! where he deliberately abandoned the car. He then came to Auckland. The car had travelled 200 miles and it cost the owners £12 10/ to recover it. On May 20 Kathorne hired another car in Auckland and failed to return it the same clay. At 2.30 a.m. on Mav 21 Ihe was found asleep in the car in Grey ! Lynn. "Kathorne appears to have a | kink for motor cars," said Mr. McHugh. ! The magistrate, after making the remark quoted above, commented that Kathorne was placed on probation for two years for theft six vears ago, hut I did not keep the terms of his probation, ! for he committed theft and was placed in a Borstal Institution for two vears in 1033. Shortly after his release" in 1935 lie was again in trouble for car eon--1 version and theft. However, he had not been in trouble for two years. "I am going to give "you another chance by placing you on probation for three years." said Mr. Wyvern Wilson to him. "It will be a * special term of probation that you will not ride in a motor car during that period. If you 1 are seen in a car it will be a breach | of probation and you will be brought up before the Court. I can only warn you this is the last opportunity you have the leniency I am extending" to you. because if you come up again vou will probably get t*ro years' reformative detention.