CONVERSION OF CAR

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28532, 11 March 1958, Page 8

CONVERSION OF CAR

Conviction Of Passenger

Karl Alfred Truman Dollman. aged 20, was charged in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday that on or about December 10, 1957, at Sumner, he unlawfully converted to his own use a motor car valued at £6OO the property of A. R. Mackay Ltd. Dollman, who was represented by Mr L. G. Holder, pleaded not guilty to the charge. Mr L. N. Ritchie, S.M., who was on the bench, convicted him and remanded him for sentence on March 21.

Senior Detective-Sergeant J. B. McLean, prosecuting for the police, said that the car in question had been parked outside the house at Mr A. R. Mackay at 100 Nayland St., Sumner. It disappeared between 6.10 p.m. on December 10 and 7.45 a.m. on December 11. The car was recovered undamaged outside St. Margaret’s College and examined for finger prints. Among fingerprints found were those of the accused. Dollman was challenged but .refused to make a statement. Subsequently another man named Woodcock, who had been convicted of car conversion charges, including this one, came forward and said he had been involved with accused. Driver’s Evidence

Kenneth William Woodcock, a driver, said he knew accused. He had been with accused and another youth lan Garrick and had gone with' them to Sumner in a car driven by Garrick. The car did not belong to Garrick. Accused sat in the back. “We took another motor vehicle,” witness said. “It was parked outside a house. Garrick and I thought about stealing a car earlier in the evening. I think it was only when we arrived at the car Dollman knew we were going to steal it.” Witness said he pulled down a window and opened the door He started the car by running a wire from the battery to the coil. Dollman left “Garrick’s” car and joined him in the front passenger’s seat. They went over the hill to Lyttelton and then to Governor’s Bay. Garrick ran the car he was in over a bank. Garrick was attended to by some people from a nearby house and he and accused drove back to town ana abandoned the car. Accused never drove the car. Constable R. M. Bethwaite, of the Criminal Registration branch, identified the finger prints found on the car to be the same as those made by accused at the prison. Mr Holder submitted the offence was complete the moment Garrick pushed the car with Woodcock’s assistance. Until the movement there was no fact by which Dollman could be said to have been implicated within terms of section 90, of the Crimes Act.

“I have not the slightest doubt iin the wide world that this is a [clear case of car conversion,” the Magistrate said. “I could not believe accused was so innocent

Jas not to know about it—his very [attitude at Greymouth indicates he did. I intend to convict.” Mr McLean said that a Paused had been convicted of receiving stolen property last July and was now on probation. The Magistrate called for a report from the-Pro-