APPEARANCE IN SUPREME COURT

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30737, 29 April 1965, Page 1

APPEARANCE IN SUPREME COURT

A young man who has been in prison for three months and a half awaiting first a Magistrate’s Court hearing and then a Supreme Court trial, was yesterday discharged without trial by Mr Justice Wilson, said a report of Supreme Court proceedings printed in “The Press” on April 3.

Paul Dawson, aged 19, a workman (Mr L. M. O’Reilly), had been committed for trial on March 10 on a charge of receiving an electric guitar valued at £5O, knowing it to have been dishonestly obtained.

Mr Justice Wilson said that the next sitting of the Court would not be until May 4. Because of the interval that must elapse, and because the evidence to be presented tended to negate the proposal that the guitar had been stolen before Dawson acquired it no indictment would be presented, and Dawson would be discharged. He had been in gaol since December 18. His Honour said there was no direct evidence that the guitar had been stolen. There were only eight guitars of

that make that had been distributed in New Zealand, and none had been reported stolen. There was only strong suspicion about it. His Honour said the guitar could have been stolen from a smuggler, who would not be eager to approach the police.

“I don’t think a jury could be satisfied that the guitar was dishonestly obtained at the time Dawson bought it,” said the Judge.