Magistrate's Court Men Sentenced For Theft And Fraud

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29714, 6 January 1962, Page 15

Magistrate's Court Men Sentenced For Theft And Fraud

Three young Australian men on a working holiday in Christchurch appeared before Mr E. A. Lee, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday on charges of theft from a hotel, and obtaining accommodation without paying for it, while on a car trip to Mount Cook and Queenstown over the Christmas holiday period. The three accused were Charles Edward Ingram. Harold Charles Lingard Boyes, and Wilfred Raymond Grills, all aged 20. They pleaded guilty to all offences. On a joint charge of theft of two quilts and a duchesse set from the Royal Hotel at Naseby, Ingram and Boyes were each fined £5. in default 12 days' imprisonment. All three were fined £5 each, in default seven days' imprisonment, on charges of obtaining credit of £1 5s by fraud from the Royal Hotel at Naseby. They were also fined £5 each, in default seven days’ imprisonment, on charges of obtaining credit of £1 12s 6d each by fraud from the Hermitage, Mount Cook.

Sergeant B. D. Read said the accused set off from Christchurch for Mount Cook, and booked in at the Hermitage on December 22. They decided that the tariff was too high, and left early next morning without paying.

They drove to Queenstown and Bluff and on the way back booked in at the hotel at Naseby. but also left there early next morning without paying. Two quilts and a duchesse set valued at £lO 17s were found to be missing from their bedroom.

When questioned by police the accused admitted not paying for the accommodation, said Sergeant Read. Ingram said he had no money when he left Christchurch, and he and Boyes said they stole the quilts to cover Grills, who was under the influence of liquor. The accused said they had committed the offences because they were short of money and had spent a lot on liquor, said Sergeant Read. All three intended to travel to Nelson to work, and obtain sufficient money to return to Melbourne in March. . HARBOURING CHARGE

Charged with harbouring a girl who had escaped from the Burwood Girls' Training Centre on December 26. John Lofty Boroevich. aged 20, was remanded in custody until January 12 for sentence. He pleaded guilty. "This offence of girls escaping from homes is very prevalent in Christchurch at the moment," said Sergeant Read. "This charge has been

brought largely to show the public that it is an offence to harbour persons escaped from an institution.”

Sergeant Read said the accused approached the girl, a stranger to him. in Manchester street. The accused conferred with his girl friend and they decided to take the girl to the accused's place. They later took her to his girl friend's place. The girl was finally found in the Square. REMANDED Trevor Ernest Bartlett, aged 17. was remanded on bail to January 12 on a charge of theft of two rings and a bracelet on December 28. On a charge of harbouring an escaped person on December 26. Marianne Nathan, aged 17, pleaded not guilty and was remanded on bail until January 12. on the application of Sergeant Read. She had earlier been remanded until January 19.