A COSTLY PATIENT

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 138, 7 March 1929, Page 9

A COSTLY PATIENT

DOCTOR AND VALUELESS CHEQUE “You are a duly qualified medical practitioner, are you not, practising m Wellington?” was a question put by Chief-Detective Ward in the Magistrate s Court yesterday to Dr. L. A. Line, who was giving evidence. “Yes, and I’m practised upon, replied the witness, who then told how he had changed a cheque for £25 given him by a patient for a visit costing 10s. 6d. The patient, Percy William Solly, aged 43, stood in the dock charged with forging and uttering the cheque for the sum mentioned, while with him similarly charged was Frank Blackham, a labourer, aged 35 br. Line 'stated that Solly consulted him on February 23 regarding varicose veins in his legs. The fee was half a guinea. The patient wanted a cheque for £25 changed, and witness obliged him, • giving him £l6 in cash and one of his own cheques for £8 9s. 6d. The latter cheque was cashed at the bank by Solly, but the cheque for £25 given witness was returned marked ‘No account.” Detective Kearney, who arrested both accused, read out a statement made by Solly in which the latter said that the money obtained from Dr. Line had been shared with Blackham, his confederate. Tfie two accused, who pleaded guilty, were committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. On two charges of false pretences involving £8 10s., Solly on his own request was remanded for sentence until Wednesday week. Blackham was likewise remanded until that date for sentence on a charge of stealing six blank cheque forms and a gold ring valued in all at £2 Is.