WOMAN IN COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 74, 29 March 1938, Page 11

WOMAN IN COURT.

SHOPLIFTING CHARGES

AI.I.KCATIOXS DKXIl'.n,

Three charges of shoplifting were] pie'eried again~i a widow. Annie ■ . lh.ukin-. i'ged ii'_\ in the I'olicc I'mirt !' to-day. ! • Accused, for whom Mr. Hall Skelton ■ appeared, pleaded not guilty to charges of stealing a scarf worth 2/11 on March -4. a lace table mat valued at !lil on March 2<i. and a hair bandeau worth <o 1 yesterday, all from a city department ! store. j The evidence showed that yesterday! at 11.1") a.m. an a-~istant saw accused pick up a hair bandeau in a package j from the jewellery counter and place ' it under her left arm. "When followed by the manager -.he dropped tlie article. She was detained until the arrival of a : detective. According to another assis. | tant she saw accused crumple up a lace ; table mat in her hand on Saturday morning and walk out of the shop, while evidence was given by yet another assistant that on March 4 she saw accused place a scarf in her hag and leave the shop. Tn a statement made to Detective ! Watersou accused denied all the charges.! "It is too ridiculous for words." she said | to the officer, aihliu-j that she suffered ' I from neuritis in her left arm. Yester- ' i day she picked up the hair bandeau at j t lie counter when her anil ga v e a twitch . causing her to drop it. She denied -lie j | had any intention of stealing the article, j Her left arm had also been injured in : ! a recent fall. Detective Walcr-on sai.! : that on searching her room he discovered |t he senrf in a box. I Mr. Hall Skelton submitted that ; jaccused was nervous and rather absent 'minded. A woman of excellent repula- ! tion and character, she had no need to j steal the trilling articles for she had ' money in her bag to pay for tliein. j On one charge accuse] was convicted •and ordered to come up for sentence if ] called upon, and ordered to pay the j expenses of four witnesses.