LAWYER FOR TRIAL

Press, Volume C, Issue 29589, 11 August 1961, Page 7

LAWYER FOR TRIAL

Alleged Theft Of (N.Z. Press Association) : AUCKLAND, August 10. Robert William Tennent, .aged 29, a former lawyernow a company manager—was today committed to the Supreme Court for trial on five charges of theft by misappropriation and two of theft by failing to account. The total involved in the charges is £14,238. At the end of the two-day hearing, during which 20 witnesses were called, Tennent denied all offences.

The preliminary hearing in the Magistrate’s Court at Auckland was before Messrs H. M. Israel and R. M. McMillan, Justices of the Peace.

Tennent was represented at the preliminary hearing by Mr R. P. Smellie, and Mr G. A. Dallow appeared •for the police. Robert Donald Cox. an accountant, said that on February 6. 1959, the Law Society appointed him to examine Tennent’s books. He did this, and he later seized them.

Referring to the charges before the Court, witness said: “I formed the opinion that Tennent deliberately entered into a series of transactions whereby his clients’ funds were regarded as a common pool from which he could make transfers as the need arose. He would be able to complete transactions for which he would otherwise have had no money available and thus earn more fees.

“Nobody has lost because the Law Society stepped in and took over all these mortgage advances. If the Law Society had not done so, and all Tennent’s clients had come in at one time and asked for their money, there would have been a very considerable shortage,” said Cox.