SUPREME COURT

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26039, 16 February 1950, Page 3

SUPREME COURT

THEFT OF WATCHCHAIN

A jury in the Supreme Court yesterday found Charles William Vincent, aged 34, a truck-driver and painter, guilty on a charge that on November 21, 1949, he stele a gold watch-chain, valued at £5, from the dwelling-house of Gilbert Frederick Roberts.

Mr Justice Northcroft remanded Vincent for sentence.

Mr A. W. Brown appeared for the Crown, and Mr J. R. Campbell for the accused.

Mr Brown, outlining the Crown case to the jury, said that the evidence was reasonably short and, he submitted, very clear. Roberts lived at 237 Queensbury street, Burwood, and the accused lived next door. On November 21, 1949, New Zealand Cup day, the accused was painting the outside of Roberts’s house and Roberts went to the cup meeting, leaving the accused to go on with the painting. There was no one at home that day. About six weeks later Roberts became aware that a gold watch-chain was missing. He mentioned it to the accused, who made a somewhat elaborate explanation of what he, the accused, was doing on cup day, though Roberts had not mentioned cup day nor had he been aware that the chain was missing- on cup day. The accused denied taking the chain and said to Roberts that a man would not do a silly thing like that unless he was drunk. The police were informed and they found that the chain had been sold to a jeweller in Christchurch. The jeweller identified the accused as the nfan who had sold him the chain on November 23, two days after cup day, for £3 6s, and who" had given his name as Charles Vincent and his address as 239 Queensbury street. The accused was questioned by the police and refused to make any statement, but denied that he stole the chain or sold it. Gilbert Frederick Roberts, a market gardener, Albert Eldred Orchard, a jeweller, and Constable B. H. Hubbard gave evidence on the lines of counsel’s statement of the case for the Crown. No evidence was called for the defence.

Counsel for Defence Mr Campbell, addressing the jury, said that Roberts had not seen the chain for at least a month before cup day and was not aware it was missing until six Weeks after cup day. so there was a period of nearly three months when the chain could have gone missing. Roberts had also said that he lost a chain, a watch, and a pendant, but nothing had been heard of the watch and pendant, said counsel. The jury might think a mistake had been made, for one gold chain could be very like another. Then there was the question of identification. Orchard had 12 or 14 men a day in his shop and he had no reason for noting specially whoever sold the chain. Further, it was improbable that a man would sell property stolen from his neighbour, two days after it was stolen, and give his correct name and address. The jury retired at 11.45 a.m., and returned at 12.15 p.m. with their verdict. Verdict of Not Guilty A jury found Frederick Bowles, aged 74, a pensioner, not guilty on each of two charges of indecently assaulting boys.

Mr A. W. Brown represented the Crown, and Mr J. K. Moloney appeared for Bowles.

The trial began on Tuesday, and the Crown case was completed. The case was adjourned until yesterday, when evidence was called for the defence. Counsel addressed the jury and his Honour summed up. The jury were out for an hour before bringing in their verdict.