BURGLARY SEQUEL

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 35, 11 February 1943, Page 6

BURGLARY SEQUEL

SOLDIER SENTENCED POLICE AMD BOY PRAISED "It seems to me that in returning a verdict that the prisoner 'was guilty of receiving, the jury took a very generous view," said Mr. Justice Fair to-day, when a soldier; Douglas Wright, aged 31, came up for sentence for receiving money shown to be part of the proceeds of theft when a. shop at Kaikohe was entered, the safe "blown" and notes and cheques to the value of over £300 taken.

After Mr. Quartley had made a plea for the prisoner, Mr. Cleal, for the Crown, said the prisoner had a list, and in 1938 had been warned that he might be declared an habitual criminal.

His Honor remarked that at the age of 19 the prisoner had faced, at Hamilton, a list of no fewer than 53 charges, and after having been in Borstal had committed later offences. When he had the opportunity of living an honest life on regular pay with good companions in the army, he got involved in breaking and entering and spending stolen money.

His Honor said he would not "declare" the prisoner, but would sentence him to 2\ years' imprisonment with hard labour.

Mr. Cleal asked for an order to return the recovered money to the storekeeper.

Mr. Quartley said prisoner could make no claim to the £127 in notes found in a bottle in Cook -Street, but of the £43 found in his possession only a part was shown to be stolen money.

His Honor said £17 in notes found on Wright was shown to be part of the proceeds of the Kaikohe theft, and an order would be made for its return. In addition to the imprisonment sentence, however, the prisone'r would be fined £25, to be paid out of the money found on him. His Honor added that the police, and particularly Detective-Sergeant F. N. Aplin, were to be commended for their good work in tracing the notes and assembling the evidence. The boy who had found the £127 in a bottle and notified a policeman was also to be commended, and he hoped ; the police would find an appropriate way of giving the boy recognition in a permanent form for his assistance.