SAD STORY

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 104, 30 October 1923, Page 6

SAD STORY

A YOUNG MAN'S LAPSE.

(BY. TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

_ CHEISTCHDRQH, This Day. The sad story of the lapse of a young man, who was heading towards a brilliant career, was told in the Magistrate's Court this morning, when Lionel David Page, aged 23, pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing one book from Isitts, Ltd., and further stealing a book valued at 13s 6d from Whitcombe and Tombs. Chief-Detective Cameron said that on Saturday accused went'into Isitt's, and from there he went across to Whitcombe and Tomb 3. When he came out of {here he was approached by the manager of Isitt s, who asked him. about a book he had in his pocket. Page admitted that it came from Isitt's, and that he had not paid for it.. It was found also that he had a book which he had taken out of Whitcombe's. '

Mr. Alpers, who appeared for accused, said that Page was a brilliant young man, who would, in ordinary circumstances, have been a university graduate after ?thia year's examination. His career had been an extraordinary one from boyhood, and he was considered one of the finest characters turned out by his school. From school he went to the university, and his career there was just as good. Page would be punished be.yond all proportion to the nature of the offence. He was ruined as far as his profession of law was concerned, and wo^d be barred from entering it. II seemed that the offences were the resiiH of a sudden impulse. Page had accounts m each of the book shops, and if .he wanted a book- there was nothing to prevent him buying it. Mr. Alpers then called evidence as to character. ;

Mr. J. R. Cunningham, who employed accused, said that his character wm a fine one, and he would be prepared to trust him again and keep him on. "You set me a difficult and painful task in sentencing you," said the Magistrate to accused. "You are a young man who has had all the advantages of life,,and you committed two shop-lifting offences. There is no reason why I should treat you differently from a woman who steal* finery or a young fop who steals clothing. Shopkeepers must be protected, and imprisonment is the only punishment." A sentence of seven "days' imprisonment on each charge, the terms' to be concurrent, was imposed.