Man absconded with hotel’s money

Press, 28 November 1980, Page 3

Man absconded with hotel’s money

A man sent in the firm’s’ car to bank cash and| cheques absconded with; $lO5O to Australia,- SeniorSergeant P. R. Kavanagh said in the District Court yesterday. Robert Geoffrey Scott, aged- 21, unemployed, who admitted the offence, was remanded on bail of sloooj to December .1.1 for a proba-l fiori report and Sentence. | Senior-Sergeant Kavanagh I said” that' 7 in""’"April thei defendant was employed as a general hand by a Christchurch hotel. . At 12.30 p.m. on April 15 he Had been given a bag containing cash and cheques,; fo a total value of $2500/ and told to bank it. ■ He was given the use of a| hotel vehicle . to go to the bank, . J Inquiries later in the day revealed that the defendant had riot' been to - the bank, and he .-was; not seen. by his employer again The. next day the vehicle Was found abandoned at Riccarton. • • . ... The bag still in the vehicle contained cheques but -1050 in cash was missing, said Senior-Sergeant Kavanagh. .' , It was . found that Scott (Mj- D. J. Taffs) had gone to Australia. ■ . ’ On November 21, after his return, Scott had telephoned

the police to say he wanted is to give himself up. ! In explanation the defend-!: ant admitted stealing the I money, which he said he' had spent. ' • Compensation of sloso'l was sought. JI Scott also pleaded guilty p and was convicted on a,< charge of wilfully smashing < two shop window panes at 2 < a.m. on November 22. When caught he said he had had an argument with 1 his girl friend earlier. I Compensation of $lOOO was sought. THEFT CHARGE An unemployed solicitor, i Robert Frederick Arthur ! ! Powell, aged 39, was remanded to February 4 for I the taking of depositions ’ I when • ’ he appeared on 1 i charges of theft and fraud. • It is alleged that’ Powell 1 stole a 1977. .rar, valued at $5OOOl the property of the New Zealand Credit Corporation, Ltd,' and. that with intent to defraud ' represented that the vehicle was his own free' and unencumbered proi perty'in ’ order to' sell it for $5000.. ' ’ . ! The offences are alleged to have taken place at Nel-1

son in early December, 1978. The defendant was allowed bail of $lOOO. ESCAPING ALLEGED lan Stewart Potter, aged 22, a farmhand, and Douglas Ronald Hampton, aged 19, a labourer, were . each remanded in custody to December 4 on charges of escaping, from Paparua Prison on November 25. No pleas were entered. Further charges were likely to be laid, said the police prosecutor. RECEIVING CHARGE A man, aged 46, charged with receiving jewellery and silverware,, to a total value of $1550, was to December 3 on bail of $750. David John McCormick, unemployed, is alleged to have received the items, the property of a Timaru jewellers, bn Wednesday. . McCormick did not plead. (Before Judge McAloon) THEFT CHARGE . A youth, aged 16, who is alleged to have stolen a collection of stamps, valued at $lO,OOO, was remanded without plea to December 10 l when he appeared in the Children and Young Persons i Court.