CHASE IN DARK

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 110, 3 February 1931, Page 10

CHASE IN DARK

Attempt to Enter Store

CAUGHT BY CONSTABLE

After a retirement, of only fifteen minutes a jury in the Supreme Court yesterday returned a verdict of guilty against William Thomas Moat, furniture maker, of Lower Hutt, who was charged with attempting to break and enter the Self Help Grocery Store at Alicetown, Lower Hutt, on December 19 last, and with being found in possession of instruments of house breaking. Chief of the evidence for the Crown was that of Constable Tanner, who said he had heard a door rattle when he had been cycling past the Self Help store at Alicetowfl, Lower Hutt, at 2.30 a.m., and had then noticed a man run out from the doorway and go down Montague Street. The constable had given chase, but before he caught the accused he had noticed him throw something away, while he had also noticed another man running down the street, about 60 yards ahead of the accused, but on the opposite side of the road. Witness had flashed a torch in the accused’s face when he caught him, and the accused had said: “All right, old man, I’ll give in.” The accused had said >he did not know who the other man was beyond that he had met him in the furniture mart that evening. He had also said that this was the first time he had thought of going “crook” for 6 years. “At it Again.” At the police station Sergeant McHolm had seen the accused, and had said: “Hello, Moat, have you been at it again?” The accused had replied: “Yes, sergeant, I have.” A- search had been made later, and a number of tools had been discovered. With the exception of a chisel, the accused had admitted ownership. Answering Mr. Scott (for the Crown), witness said the accused was quite sober when caught. ' Mr. Scott: Did you caution the accused before you arrested him? ‘ Witness: No. Did you tell the sergeant you had arrested him? —“I told the sergeant I had caught him.” . Witness was cross-examined as' to the likelihood of marks on the shop door being made with a jemmy and not with a chisel. Witness said the marks might have been made with any instrument similar to a screwdriver or a chisel. Sergeant McHolm corroborated Constable Tanner’s evidence. The Accused’s Story. Giving his story from the witness box, the accused said he had worked late in his mart on the evening in question, and before going home he had consumed eight bottles of beer. When he came near the store he had heard a noise/ and then had seen a man running away. Then he saw the constable, and in the excitement of the moment he thought the best thing to do was to clear, so he cleared. Answering Mr. Macassey (Crown Prosecutor), the accused denied knowing anything of the other man, and said he could not remember telling the sergeant anything about him. He had been druuk at the same, he said. He could not remember any parts of alleged conversations with the constable and the sergeant. Miss Martin, in evidence, said she was employed by the accused. Ou December 19 she had left earlier than usual, as the accused had fold her he/ was going to close the premises. When- she left the accused had been under the influence of drink. The business, witness said, was a profitable one. The next morning witness had seen about twelve large bottles of beer in the mart, which had not been there on the previous day. Emily Jane Martin, married woman, said she had known Moat in business for some months. On December 19 last she had gone to his mart about 9 p.m. The accused, noticeably, had been drinking. Both counsel briefly addressed the jury, and his Honour summed up at length. The jury retired at 4.5 p.m., and returned at 4.20 p.m. with a verdict of guilty. His Honour remanded the prisoner for sentence.