EXTENSIVE FRAUDS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18924, 12 February 1927, Page 5

EXTENSIVE FRAUDS.

MAN GETS THREE YEARS. [THE PRESS Special Berries.J DUNEDIN, February U. This morning Mr Justice Reed sentenced Gcorgo Thomas Swann to three years' hard labour, declining his counsel's pica for lenience. The charges to which Swann had pleaded guilty were as follows:—That on or about March 13th, 1924, with intent to defrauf, ho obtained from Margaret Gibson £IBO by falsely representing that ho was supplying tho New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition Company witih machinery, and that by investing £IBO Margaret Gibson would participate in tho profits coming from the sale of such machinery; that between December Ith, 1924, and March 7th, 1925, at Beaumont, with intent to defraud, he obtained from Mary A. Hall sums of money totalling £630 by falsely representing that he was concerned in aee-ond-hand machinery in connexion with a bank, and that by investing £630 she would participate in tho profits; that on March 4th and other dates between that and October 4th, 1924, he obtained from John James sums totalling £ 1953 by representing that he was dealing in machinery; that on May 24th, and other dates between that and August 25th, 1924. ho obtained from Elma Alice Crawford sums totalling £292 by representing that he was dealing in machinery/ Mr Hanlon, addressing his Honour on behalf of the prisoner, said that- it had been stated that sums totalling £20,000 were involved, but there was nothing, so far as he could ascertain from a search of the books or papers of the accused, to show that anything like that amount had been invoved. It might be £6OOO or £7OOO. All that he could ask was that, his Honour should deal with the prisoner as leniently as was consistent with justice being met. His Honour said that it occurred to him that tho prisoner went deliberately to work, first of all ingratiating himself with persons and establishing a confidence which enabled him to obtain the money. The sum involved was a large one, and he thought ho would only be doing his duty by inflicting a heavy penaty. Prisoner would be sentenced to three years' imprisonment.