False Pretences Admitted

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32361, 29 July 1970, Page 32

False Pretences Admitted

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 28. A 24-year-old company director, Terry James Aekins, this morning pleaded guilty to 25 charges of false pretences, one of attempted false pretences and one of forgery, involving a total of $41,171, when he appeared in the Lower Hutt Magistrate’s Court before Mr J. K. Patterson, S.M. Earlier Aekins had elected trial by jury but then decided in favour of summary justice. He was convicted on all matters and remanded on bail until August 4 for a probation report and sentence. The Magistrate said there was a strong possibility that the defendant would be sent to the Supreme Court for sentence.

Detective Sergeant D. K. White said that all the charges against the defendant arose from similar acts. They were in connection with his obtaining money from Wellington Discounts, Ltd, by falsely representing that hire purchase agreements made between Decor 2000, Ltd, and Wellington Discounts, Ltd, were valid agreements. He said the defendant began business as a soft furnisher under the name of Decor 2000, Ltd, at Island Bay in June, 1969. He shifted his premises to Queen Street, Lower Hutt, in the same year. In July, 1969, to obtain finance for the business, the defendant submitted four false hire purchase agreements to Wellington Discounts, Ltd, and received their cheque for $598 on July 31. This cheque was banked to the account of Decor 2000, Ltd, and one for a similar amount, endorsed 1 “T. J. Aekins advance,” was '■ withdrawn. The agreements were made ■ out in the names of persons known to the defendant but

they had no knowledge of the alleged sales. In August, 1969, the sum of $620 was obtained from Wellington Discounts, Ltd, in three hire purchase agreements submitted again in respect of persons known to the defendant and again without the knowledge of the persons concerned. Between August 26, 1969, and July 1, 1970, a further 123 hire purchase agreements were submitted to Wellington Discounts, Ltd, by the defendant, for which he .received 123 cheques, amounting to $39,953. Of those named in the agreements only two were actual persons. The charge of attempted false pretences related to nine hire purchase agreements amounting to $3330 submitted, but for which payment had not been made when the defendant was arrested. In all the defendant obtained $41,171 from 123 false agreements and attempted to obtain a further $3330 from nine more agreements, Mr White said.

Each month the defendant would make payment to the finance company of instalments due and by this means had repaid $7877.54, leaving a balance owing of $33,293.46. When interviewed by the police the defendant said he could not get finance through normal means to establish his business and so had commenced the. method outlined.

He said the agreements detailed were false sales relating to non-existent goods, and he obtained from the finance company the cost of the goods, less an alleged deposit. Mr White said the defendant had been unable to explain satisfactorily what had happened to all the money. He claimed he used it for his business in the purchase of stock, payment of rent, or equipping a coffee bar adjoining his furnishing shop. But when it was taken into account that the defendant had a considerable debt owing, this did not cover all the money, Mr White said.