THEFT FROM WHARE ALLEGED

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 256, 26 July 1935, Page 13

THEFT FROM WHARE ALLEGED

Plimmerton Man’s Loss MOTOR MECHANIC BEFORE COURT A plea of not guilty was entered by Alexander James Churton, motor mechanic, aged 35, when lie appeared before the Chief Justice (Sir Michael .Myers), in the Wellington Supreme Court yesterday, charged with breaking ami entering a whare on the premises of William Randell, at Plimmerton, and stealing from it £2O. Accused was represented by Mr. C. 11. Arndt. In liis outline of the ease, the Crown Prosecutor, Mr. P. S. K. Macassey, said it was alleged that accused and a young man named Featherston broke into a whare on the premises of Mr. Randell, at Plimmerton. Featherston had pleaded guilty to the charge, in the lower court, and would be called as a witness for the Crown. The eirctim.'ffauces were tliat in Hie evening of .IPiy 13 last, accused and Featherston left Wellington on a motor-cycle and went to Mr. Kandell's house at Plimnierton. Mr. Randell was then in bed before going to his work; Mrs. and Miss Randell were at home. The two men left the house at about 11 o’clock. Miss Randell accompanied Churton to the gate. He asked her if she had any money, saying he wanted to buy some benzine. She told him she had no money, and could not get any. as it was locked up in a box in Hie whare. The men left on the motor-cycle, and after they had gone a short distance they stopped the machine and parked it. said Mr. Macassey. They waited a little while until Randell had gone out and then they went back to the whare. Churton. it was alleged, picked up a screw-driver and forced the door of the whare. A sum of £2O was taken. The men had some trouble with the motor-cycle on the way back to Wellington and were seen by the driver of “The Dominion” delivery car. Somewhere about four o’clock in the morning they went to a cafe in town and had a meal. Churton changed a five pound note. That morning he paid £4 off a motor-cycle lie had agreed to purchase, and he also paid sonic money he owed on account of board. In addition, lie redeemed some articles from a pawn shop. It would be shown, said Mr. Macassey, that when accused left his boardinghouse he had no money, that he wanted to borrow a shilling to buy some benzine, but did not got it On the morning of May 14, when interviewed by the police, he had £l/0/2 in his possession. He was informed of the money he had spent. He replied that he got £5 tliat day from his mother, anil another £2 from a man named Cullerton. Tlie mother would lie called to say that she did not give him anything. and the man would say ho gave accused a couple of shillings only. A number of witnesses gave evidence in support of the Crown's ease, which will be continued this morning.