JAIL FOR YOUTH

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 20, 18 October 1944, Page 8

JAIL FOR YOUTH

Pleading guilty to charges of stealing a camera valued at £O/12/0, and a fountain peu, valued at £l/15/-, and to wearing a battledress uuiform without lawful authority, William Gordon King, clerk and airman, aged IS, was sentenced by Mr. Stout, S.M., in the Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, yesterday, to two months’ imprisonment on the lirst charge, and was convicted aud discharged on the remaining charges. Detective-Sergeant ,T. Thompson said that King, who was a member of the K.N.Z.A.I’’.. was granted three weeks’ leave toward the cud of last month, aud had been absent; from camp since then. During that period accused had obtained an army but tiedress. He said that his idea was to get away overseas with the next army toiiiforcemeuts. At one stage, said MrThompson he got on to a troopship, and since then be bad been wearing the uniform. He stole the camera and fountain pen from the residence of two people w had been kindly disposed toward mm. Accused had pawned the fountain pen, but the police had been able to recover it. It was stated that King had been ou probation for two years, aud when sentencing him. Mr. Stout said that the Probation ollicer’s report was not a good one, and he thought a sharp sentence would be what accused rightly deserved.