Gambling leads to jail

Press, 11 July 1979, Page 4

Gambling leads to jail

PA Wellington An executive officer of the Justice Department was jailed for nine months when sentenced in the Magistrate’s Court at Wellington on a charge involving $917? Barry Roger Franklin, aged 38, had obtained the money over 18 months by using Government travelling expenses and allowances vouchers to support a gambling habit. He had pleaded guilty to the charge of using documents to obtain a pecuniary advantage. He was represented by Mr D. Deacon An order for final suppression of nam. was refused by Mr W. M. Willis, S.M., who ordered full restitution. “It is quite clear that the money was used solely to sustain a gambling habit. I readily agree with Mr Deacon that gambling is somewhat similar to alcoholism,” said the Magistrate. Once gambling got into the blood it was difficult to get rid of. A considerable sum of money was involved over an 18-month period, which worked out about $6OOO a year in gambling. The Court had been called on to deal with , a career officer whose record was such that future promotion was likely.

Mr Deacon submitted that his client had readily co-operated with the police in clearing the matter. The offence, spread over a period of time, had its genesis in the “disease of gambling.” The amounts taken initially were small, but rose to a greater level.