FRIENDS IN DOCK

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 200, 21 May 1931, Page 3

FRIENDS IN DOCK

Theft of Ironmongery BORROWED STOCK “These two men became friends while working together, and it is owing to this friendship that they find themselves in the dock to-day,” said Mr. O’Donnell in the Police Court yesterday, in making a plea for leniency on behalf of Herbert Aylward Sandilands, fvho had admitted two charges of having stolen goods to the value of £4/17/2, the property of his employers, Briscoe and Co., Ltd., hardware merchants. George Lang, ironmonger (Mr. Leicester) pleaded guilty to having received the stolen goods. ' Sub-Inspector Ward said that Sandilands had been a salesman for Briscoe and Co. until this month, and Lang had worked for the firm for several years until he started in the same line of business about four years ago. Lang had been in the habit of dropping into Briscoe’s at lunch-time to see Sandilands, and when his stocks commenced to run low he had got Sandilands to lend him stock from Briscoe’s from time to time. The leakage had been discovered, and a quantity of Briscoe’s stock had been found upon Lang’s shelves. The magistrate, Mr. T. B. McNeil, said he would take the previous good records of both accused into account, and admit them to probation for two years. Lang to make restitution of £3/19/2 and Sandilands of 18/- to the defrauded firm. Old Man’s Lapse “The accused at one time had a profession in England; he has been on the stage, and has tried his hand at advertising,” said Mr. Leicester in making a plea for leniency for George Burnette, a salesman, aged 66, who had pleaded guilty to failing to account toward the end of last year for £l3/9/9 which he had collected on behalf of the T.P.R. Printing Co.. Ltd. Sub-Inspector Ward said that the accused had been employed selling Christmas cards for the firm on a 121 per cent, commission. He did not enjoy good health. In March, 1925, he had been admitted to a year’s probation for theft. As the probation officer’s report was satisfactory, the magistrate convicted the accused, and ordered him to come up for sentence within twelve months if called upon. Found Sleeping in Car For having been found sleeping in a motor-car in a garage at S Maida Vale Road, and having been previously convicted as an incorrigible rogue on July 4, 1929, George William Low, aged 34, was sentenced to twelve months’ imprisonment.