N.Z. worst for dishonesty—Judge

Press, 30 July 1985, Page 4

N.Z. worst for dishonesty —Judge

PA Auckland . New Zealand must be the “worst country in the world” for crimes of dishonesty, according to Judge Callander, of the District Court at Auckland. “Receiving is a crime reaching almost epidemic proportions in this country,” he said in sentencing Charles Hollingsworth on receiving charges. “There have been a grave number of burglaries: 27,000 in greater Auckland in the last year. In 20 years it has degenerated into a country plagued by young men committing burglaries or living of the receipts of crime.” Hollingsworth, aged 21, an unemployed scrubcutter, was sentenced to a total of 15 months jail on four charges of receiving and one of attempting to escape from custody. The police said Hollingsworth was found in a car parked in Cornwall Park

Domain trying to sell bags of jewellery to another person. He had tried to escape from custody by swapping identities with another prisoner and answering for him in court. Counsel for Hollingsworth, Mr Mark Edgar said he tried to deceive the Judge because he was on bail on a High Court aggravated robbery charge and knew bail would be refused. He had been in and out of institutions since he was 18, Mr Edgar said. On the first charge of receiving jewellery worth $4600 Judge Callander sentenced Hollingsworth to 15 months imprisonment, 12 months for the second and third and for the fourth, six months. For attempting to escape he was jailed for four months. All sentences to be