A PLUCKY ACT.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18725, 23 June 1926, Page 6

A PLUCKY ACT.

YOUTH'S STRUGGLE WITH BURGLAR. A MAN WITH A LIST. The story of a youth's brave straggle with a burglar, to prevent him from making his escape was unfolded at the Magistrate's Court yesterday, when Joseph John McClintock pleaded guilty to breaking and entering by night the house of Harold Rushworth, and stealing thereJrom £7 10s. The. son of the householder, Geoffrey Rushworth, aged 18 years, met the accused coming away from the premises, pursued him, and struggled with him on the road. "On the' part of the public," said the Magistrate (Mr H. A. Young), "it is only right that I should express appreciation of , the action of this youth in .taokiing the accused. AI- j thqugh the accused got J3.w>)y, evidence was 'left that enabled the. police to trace him and bring, him. before the • Court. McClintock has a long list, and Rushworth's - action probably haa saved' the property of other citizens from interference." (Chief-Detective T. Gibson, who prosecuted, also added his meed of praise, and pointed out that a motorist who was driving past at the. time, refused the young man's appeal for assistance. : Harold Ruishworth. 21 Golf Links road, Shirley, said that he'went to bed about. 11.10 p.m. on June 12th. The j doors were shut but the back-door was not locked. At 1.15 a.m., from something he was told, he looked in his cash-box, which was in another room, and found that £6 was, missing. He also missed £1 10s from his wife's purse and a money bag. With his son, ne went- down 'Shirley road and they found £5 10s in notes. After "daylight j came, they found another 10s. Geoffrey Rushworth said that ho had been returning to his home about 12.45 a.m. on .the Sunday looming.. He was "surprised to see a racing bicycle stand- 1 ing against the fence of his father's house., When he entered the gate he saw the figure of a man cross the cycle. The man made off down the road, and witness followed and caught him lip. Rushworth accused him of trespassing on his father's property, but the man denied this. In the fight that ensued, witness took from him some, silver, an electric torch, a purse and an empty nioney bag. He managed to get the man back as. far as the corner of Marshlands and Shirley road 3 when the latter broke away and made off across the paddocks. Witness recognised the accused as the man with whom he had struggled. '"J J°hn Suckling, cvcle dealer, of Manchester street, said that he held a . bailment of the cycle produced, sipned by the accused. Detective J. Bickerdike said that in lln ActinE-Betectives. Studarrested the accused of the offence, McClintock said: "I commiii '«J htM V fisW with a man and pot away I left my bicycle." Later he identified the cycle as his property. The accused, who had nothing to say. pleaded piiltv and was. committed to the Supreme Court for sentence