THEFT OF MEAT FROM CARGO

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25207, 11 June 1947, Page 5

THEFT OF MEAT FROM CARGO

FINE OF SlO IMPOSED John Septimus Illingworth, a waterside worker, who appeared at the Lyttelton Magistrate’s Court yesterday before Messrs W. C. Cleary and W. D. Gower, Justices of the Peace, on a charge of stealing part of a leg of lamb, valued at 3s, the property of the Federal Steam Navigation Company, pleaded guilty and was convicted and fined £lO, in default one month’s imprisonment. Senior-Sergeant F. Hayhurst said that at 8.15 p.m. on Monday Illingworth was accosted when leaving the waterfront, by Sergeant S. Rickets and Constable F. S. Thompson. He was asked if he had anything that did not belong to him. and said that he had not. He was found to be concealing part of a leg of lamb under his coat, and then admitted that he had taken it from the cargo of the overseas vessel Northumberland. "This meat is part of a food cargo for Britain,” said Mr Hayhurst, “and Illingworth’s action was, in effect, sabotaging the effort being made to help feed Britain. This man is not in any need.” He added that the accused had not previously been before the Court on any charge of dishonesty. The Bench told Illingworth that in “chopping up” the carcase of lamb he had made it unfit for export. He Would not be sentenced to imprisonment, but the penalty must be such as to teach him a lesson.