MAGISTRATE'S COURT After Party, Man Went Home To Wrong House

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28158, 22 December 1956, Page 6

MAGISTRATE'S COURT After Party, Man Went Home To Wrong House

A young man who had been at a party and at 2 a.m. tried to enter what he thought was his boardinghouse without disturbing anyone, was caught by the householder and held half-way through a window until the police arrived. He appeared before Mr Rex C. Abernethy, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday on a charge of being unlawfully on enclosed premises but in circumstances that did not disclose the intention to commit any other offence. He pleaded guilty. Sub-Inspector J. J. Halcrow said there was nothing sinister about the incident. The young man was intoxicated. and went to the wrong place. The damage to the window was valued at 15s.

Mr D. H. Godfrey, who appeared for the young man, said: “He is sober and penitent this morning. He has never been in trouble before. I make a strong plea that he be discharged under the provisions of Section 42 of the Criminal Justice Act, and that • his name be suppressed.” The Magistrate advised the young man not to get drunk again, and discharged him without conviction upon payment of 15s for the damage to the window. An order was made prohibiting publication of the name. FINED FOR THEFT OF BOOKS A youth, who appeared for sentence on two charges of stealing books valued at £ll 16s 6d, was fined £2 10s on the first charge and £5 on the second. On the application of counsel, Mr G. Flesher, the name of the accused was ordered not to be published. THEFT OF HANDBAG Royce Clive Zimmerman, aged 22, a | packer (Mr L. G. Holder), appeared for sentence on a charge of stealing a woman’s handbag valued at £2 18s 6d. the property of Beath and Company, Ltd. Mr Holder said that the accused had had an unfortunate early life and was in a delicate state of health. He could offer no explanation for the theft, and he had steadilv maintained that he had found the bag amongst rubbish which had been swept up after a sale. He had previously been on probation, and had proved a good probationer. Zimmerman was admitted to probation for two years. ATTEMPTED THEFT Barry Edward Stubbs, aged 24, a factory hand, was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment when he appeared for sentence on a charge ot attempting to steal £25. the property of Barry, Stouppe, and Wear, Ltd., on December 13. The Magistrate said that the accused had previously been convicted of false pretences, for which he had been admitted to probation, and later of theft, for which he had received 14 days’ imprisonment. His third offence could only be met by a term of imprisonment. FINED FOR RECEIVING

David Eric Sinclair Knight, aged 40. a stoker, was convicted and fined £5 when he appeared for sentence on a charge of receiving chocolates which h* 3 knew had been stolen. Hr H. S. Thomas, for the accused said until this incident the accused had had an unblemished record. He had made a clean breast of it to the police. The accused was a married man with four children, and was very worried over the affair. In the circumstances it might be a proper case for the accused to be discharged without

conviction, under the Criminal Justice Act. and for suppression of his name. There was little he need say to him. except that it was a pity, said the Magistrate, convicting Knight. The application for suppression was refused. ADMITTED TO PROBATION Helen Te Aroha Nathan, aged 19, a cook, appeared for sentence on a charge of theft of a ring valued at £l5. She was convicted and admitted to probation for two years. If Nathan came before the Court again she would be sent to a Borstal institution, said the Magistrate. “You must leave other people’s property alone.” THEFT OF TOOLS Norman Charles Butler, aged 25, a labourer (Mr R. S. D. Twyneham) was convicted and released on probation for two years when he appeared for sentence on a charge of theft of engineers’ tools. REMANDED On a charge of stealing a blanket valued at £2 10s. the property of Sidney George Sherwood, Vernon Reginald Coutts. aged 22, a barman, was remanded to January 10. (Before Mr L. N. Ritchie, S.M.) MADE FALSE STATEMENT Ivan Albert Taylor, aged 20, a farmhand (Mr D. H. Godfrey), appeared for sentence on a charge of making a false statement to the police and one of attempted false pretence. He was fined £lO on each charge and placed on further probation for two years, a special condition being that he undergoes such medical treatment as is recommended by the Probation Officer.