Convicted After Eight Years

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30861, 21 September 1965, Page 3

Convicted After Eight Years

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, Sept. 20. A man appeared in the Auckland Magistrate’s Court today on eight charges arising from offences alleged to have been committed eight years ago.

Alexander Robert Pearson, aged 45. an unemployed driver, pleaded guilty before Mr A. A. Coates, S.M., to five charges of false pretences, two charges of theft and one of credit by fraud. The charges involved a total of £lO2 3s 6d.

Sergeant 1. V. Edwards, who appeared for the police said that early in 1957 Pearson left the Cabana Hotel in Napier without paying a bill for £3 3s 6d. He later went to Merrilies Hotel in Dannevirke, where he stole £3O in cash after obtaining £9 from a garage proprietor in Waihi by cashing a valueless cheque. He also stole four cheque forms from the Commercial Hotel in Waihi. In Christchurch the accused obtained £7 from the New Zealand Travel Service, Ltd., and later obtained £5 from a driver working for Midland Motors. Ltd., in Dunedin.

While in Auckland. Sergeant Edwards said. Pearson had obtained a total of £4B in cash from Newmarket Wines and Spirits, Ltd., by cashing valueless cheques.

The accused later went to Australia, where he spent

some time in penal institutions, He was ordered to be deported back to New Zealand in 1962 but did not arrive until this year. Mr Coates convicted Pearson today and remanded him for sentence until Friday.