YOUTHFUL CRIMINALS.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17742, 19 April 1923, Page 7

YOUTHFUL CRIMINALS.

GUILTY OF NINE BURGLARIES.

At least nine successful burglaries were carried out between October, 1922, and February, 1923, by two youths, John Younger and John O'Connell, who made their appearance in the Magistrate's Court yesterday. They obtained about £IBO in money and' goods. Apparently chemists' shops were their particular fancy, and their hauls consisted of cameras, photographic material, face powder, brushes, manicure sets, and scent, besides boots, cigarettes, towels, and chocolates. There were six charges of joint breaking and entry, the particulars being:—November 2nd, the premises of Albert Haliigan, £6 in money, cameras, face powder, brushes, manicure sets, etc., to tne vume or ij'Zo J.4s; xNUvemuer btii, the suop ot blarney Joiin newitt, eueniist, sis cameras, and spools or turn, aua JtoO in money, to tiie value ol £69 6s; January loth, the shop ol Charles Anurew Uark, cbeniist, uweuder water, cigarettes, and piiotographio material to the value of £2 us; Uctouer i(tn, tne New Briguion Pier, chocolates, cigarettes, shot gun, cartridges, batuing trunks and towels, to the valuu of £o lis, the property of William Taylor, November 10th, the shop of William Wilson McJiinuey, chemist, 12 clinical thermometers, valued at £4; November 13th, the warehouse of Duckworth, Turner and Co., Ltd., boot manufacturers, 4 pair of boots, valued at £4 16s. Younger was separately charged that he broke and entered trie premises ot William Henry Anderson, dairyman, St. Albans, and stole lOs'in money and chocolates to the (value of £2O, and with having broken and entered tbe warehouse of James Ainger and stolen £2B 7s lOd in money. O'Connell was charged alone that on February 23rd he broke and entered the warehouse of Burnett William Younger, and stole £S*6 in money and two revolvers, valued at £4. Younger is 17 years of age, and O'Connell 19. Mr W. J. Hunter appeared for O'Connell, and Mr 11. Twyneham for Younger. Wiiiiam Taylor, manager of the New Brighton Pier, said that he was awakened at about 2 a.m. by a noise, whi<;h sounded as if the back door was being broken open. He tried to get out of the door, but it was bolted on the outside, so he got through the window on to the beach, and went for assistance. When he returned about a quarter of an hour later, the invaders had disappeared, with cigarettes, bathing clothes, towels, and shot-gun cartridses. A door liad been forced in order to get admission. Evidence was eiven bv the owners of premises which had been broken into. In some cases the backs of safes had been cut open. One witness said that a safe seemed to have been opened with a garden hoe or pick-axe. The Magistrate commented on the

quality of safes which, could be opened so easily. Senior Detective Gibson: Padded with sawdust, some of them were,! Detective J. Bickerdike sifted that both young men had made statements (produced), in which they admitted their guilt. "While one shop was being; entered Younger had accidentally shot O'Connell in the leg. '■ Both accused, pleaded guilty, _ and were committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Bail was refused.