THEFT FROM JOCKEY CLUB

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26121, 25 May 1950, Page 6

THEFT FROM JOCKEY CLUB

TICKET SELLER CHARGED AT TIMARU (New Zealand Press Association) TIMARU, May 24. Brian Murray Dempsey, aged 24. clerk (Mr B. Petrie), pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing £3O 12s 6d in money from the South Canterbury Jockey Club, in the Magistrate's Court at Timaru before Mr E. A. Lee. S.M.. to-day. Detective-Sergeant F. R. Hearsey, who prosecuted, said Dempsey was employed as a ticket seller in the totalisator at the Washdyke race meeting by the South Canterbury Jockey Club last Saturday. Dempsey arrived at the course at 9.30 o’clock on the morning 1 of the races and found the totalisator empty. He took bundles of tickets from boxes, removed some tickets from each bundle, and then disposed of the bundles. When the code stamps were received for the first race. Dempsey stamped a number of his tickets for each horse and after the race found that he had six 10s tickets on the • .'inner, returning him £9 15s. The procedure was repeated or the second race, five 10s win tickets giving him £l5 17s 6d. On the last race Dempsey ended with four place tickets on the third horse, which were cashed for £5. Detective-Sergeant Hearsey emphasised the seriousness of the offence, as totalisator staffs were placed on their honour when issued with stamps. Mr Petrie described the accused’s actions as "a mixture of stupidity and tragedy.” The tickets were easily traced through the code stamp,'which included the number of his selling window. Dempsey had obtained the money to send his sick wife on holiday. She knew nothing of the circumstances. The money had since been repaid.

The Magistrate said the punishment should be a deterrent to others. It was true a full disclosure of facts had been made, but the looseness of the totalisator system was no justification for the offence. He granted probation for 18 months. An application for suppression of name was refused.