Fined For Stealing Firm’s Documents

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30126, 9 May 1963, Page 7

Fined For Stealing Firm’s Documents

(Neto Zealand Press Association)

NAPIER, May 8. A Napier clerk was fined £lOO in the Magistrate’s Court today for stealing documents containing details of accounts of his employers, Rothmans Tobacco Company, Ltd. Mr W. A. Harlow, S.M., was on the Bench. The clerk, Lawrence John Michael Shanaghan, aged 39, tried to dispose of the statistics to his personal advantage, the Court was told. When his bid failed, he threw away the documents with some rubbish, said Senior Detective-Sergeant A. Reid. Shanaghan pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing on April 16 a number of documents containing statistical information, the property of Rothmans Tobacco Company, Ltd., which were in his possession as a clerk of the company. Sergeant Reid said Shanaghan joined the firm in May, 1960, and his pay was increased to £l2OO a year in January this year. His job included the preparation of statistical data on construc-

tion .and maintenance costs. He was instructed to keep this information confidential. On April 18 when detectives interviewed Shanaghan he frankly admitted the crime, said Mr Reid. The firm terminated Shanaghan’s employment. Shanaghan had four children, aged between four and 10. He admitted previous convictions. Appearing for Shanaghan, Mr J. H. Zohrab said his client had lost his job and the security he had built for his wife and children because of a piece of plain stupidity. "He is deeply penitent,” said Mr Zohrab.

The Magistrate: This is a serious offence. There was only one factor which saved Shanaghan from prison. The crime was motivated by greed. “You should go to prison, but a stiff fine might do you more good. Fined £lOO with costs £1 10s. That ought to cure you of greed,” he said. “If I thought you still had the documents you would definitely go to prison,” he said.