Supreme Court MAN FOUND GUILTY OF THEFT OF CLOTHING

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29746, 13 February 1962, Page 7

Supreme Court MAN FOUND GUILTY OF THEFT OF CLOTHING

Vincent John Wright, aged 38, was found guiky by a j ary in the Supreme Cour* yesterday of the theft of a pair of shoes and two pairs of socks, valued at £6 ss, on November 22 fast. The accused had been charged with the theft of the shoes, three pairs of socks, and a sports coat, of a total value of £2O 17s 6d. He pleaded not guilty to the charge. He was remanded in custody by Mr Justice Richmond for sentence on a date to be fixed. The jury took three hours to reach its verdict.

The accused was represented b>y Mr G. L. Loughman. Mr C. M. Roper appeared fir the Crown. Mr Roper, outlining the Crown evidence, said John Gilbertson Weir purchased the clothing and shoes in the city and left them in his car in Oxford terrace while he went to the Star and Garter hotel. He left the hotel at 5.20 p.m. and found the parcels had been taken from the car when he arrived home. The licensee of the Star and Garter hotel. Colin Gardiner Steel, would give evidr.ce of seeing the accused with another man outside the hotel The accused was carrying a package similar to a suit box, and the other person appeared to be carrying a shoe box. The next day the accused and another man were interviewed by police in a city hotel bar. The accused was wearing a pair of shoes and new socks. The other person was wearing a new sports coat. A second pair of socks were found at the accused’s heme. When questioned the accused said the shoes were not in his house when he went to bed on November 22. but when he awoke next morning he found the shoes and socks in his house, said Mr Roper “Brought by Fairies” ‘The accused also expressed the oninion that possibly the fairies had brought them.” said Mr Roper Another pair of new socks was found in his home The accused told police he knew nothing about the stolen clo'hing. Weir, a caretaker, identified shoes, socks and a sports coat produced in Court as identical with those taken from his car. Colin Gardiner Steel, licensee of the Star and Garter Hotel, said that a few minutes after the accused and the other man left his hotel he saw them carrying parcels.

Mr Loughnan said the accused’s companion would give evidence that it was he who took the parcels from the car and not the accused They had both been in hotels all day. and the accused was well under the influence of liquor and was not capable of appreciating to whom the parcels belonged. Mr Loughnan said unless the jury was satisfied beyond doubt that the accused was aware his companion had stolen the clothing, and that he was to share in the proceeds of the theft, then he must be given the benefit of the doubt and acquitted of the charge. Henry Gordon, a cook, said he started drinking at hotels at 9 am on the day of the theft He went to,the Star and Garter hotel with the accused and three other men and after parking the car he saw the parcels in another vehicle. He helped himself to. the parcels while the four others went to the hotel.

Cross-examined by Mr Roper. Gordon said he pleaded guilty to the thefts of clothing when he was charged in the Magistrate’s Court, and had been sentenced for the crime.