Magistrate’s Court Committed For Trial On Five Theft Charges

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29724, 18 January 1962, Page 10

Magistrate’s Court Committed For Trial On Five Theft Charges

Richard Francis Rutledge, aged 26, an insurance assessor, formerly employed by the South Island Motor Union Mutual Insurance Association, was committed to the next sitting of the Supreme’ Court for trial on five charges of theft as a servant from his former employer, when depositions were taken in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday before Messrs Turner Smith and L. C. Fulford, Justices of the Peace. The alleged offences, involving £523 10s, were committed between February and August last year. SeniorSergeant G. M. Cleary prosecuted, and Mr D. J. Hill appeared for Rutledge, who pleaded not guilty. Bail was allowed. Detective-Sergeant W. E. Hollinshead said he interviewed Rutledge on November 9. and he admitted that he had banked into his own account five cheques belonging to the association. “The accused told me he had been blackmailed into stealing the cheques by Peter Dick,” said the witness. Dick, also a former employee of the association, is serving a prison term for theft as a servant The witness said that Dick had written a letter saying that the accused was ander duress to him at the time he stole the cheques. A s'-item ent by Rutledge in which he admitted paying the cheques into his own account was read to the Court In the statement Rutledge said that in January he unknowingly took part in the paying of a claim to a "phoney” third party. Dick said that if he did not cooperate in the payment of the other “phoney” cheques he would let the cat out of the bag, said the statement. The statement said that Dick offered to go 50-50 with Rutledge in the swindles, and when Rutledge refused to do this he paid Dick cash from the false cheques whenever he asked for money. Eric Thomas Williamson, an accountant for the National Bank of New Zealand, gave evidence of cheques for the amounts mentioned in the charges being paid into the account of R. F. Rutledge. Rex Wickham Dawe, claims manager for the S.I.M.U. Mutual Insurance Association, said that two of the charges related to cheques which should have been paid to the association in payment for wrecked cars, and three related to amounts drawn on account Of claims relating to fictitious third parties. The accused had no right to bank the association’s cheques in his own account.

“When I asked Rutledge for the true facts about the cheques he said he was being blackmailed by Peter Dick and that he had been forced to steal the association’s funds—although not in those words," Ute witness said. (Before Mr E. A. Lee, S.M.)

INDECENT ASSAULT ADMITTED

The accused called at the C. 1.8. office at 9.10 p.m. on January 4 and said he wanted to give himself up for indecently assaulting a boy, as his conscience had been worrying him, said Sergeant V. F. Townshend. William Alexander Hayes Dunbar, aged 32, a painter, pleaded guilty U a charge of indecent assault on a boy on January 4 at Waipara. He was remanded to Sunnyside Hospital until February 16 for a medical report. Dunbar was an activities officer at the Boys’ Brigade (camp at Waipara when the offence was committed. Sergeant Townshend said. It would appear that if he had not called at the station the offence would not have been discovered. The police believed that, medical treats ment would assist the accused. CHANGE OF PLEA When Jack Grindrod, aged 46, a forestry labourer, appeared for sentence on a charge of indecently assaulting a woman in a shop at New Brighton on December 23. he said that he wished to change his plea to not guilty He pleaded guilty to the charge on January 12. ‘‘You pleaded not guilty, guilty, and now not guilty,” die Magistrate said. "Why

don’t you make up your mind?” Grindrod was remanded until January 19. DRUNKENNESS Doreen Frances Paviel pleaded not guilty to a charge of being found drunk in Bealey avenue at 11.50 p.m. on January 16. She was convicted and fined £3 Paviel had been convicted of drunkenness twice within the previous six months, said Sergeant Townshend. REMANDED Alexander Jaimes Collins, aged 29, was remanded on bail to January 22 on a charge of indecent assault on a female on December 23 When asking for bail Mr J. G. Hutchison said that Collins was getting married next week. NO INCOME RETURNS On two charges of failing to furnish a return of income John Surtees Drew was fined £3 and £4. Mr N. H. Buchanan appeared for Drew and entered pleas of guilty to both charges. FINED £8 Derek William Searle was fined £5 on two charges of misapplication of P.A.Y.E. deductions and £3 on two further similar charges. He pleaded guilty to all charges. SHOP NOT CLOSED On a charge of failing to close his shop in Fitzgerald avenue on Sunday, November 5, Leslie Clarence Trowbridge was fined £4. He did not appear.