POSED AS DETECTIVE

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 153, 26 December 1931, Page 3

POSED AS DETECTIVE

MAN'S' OFFENCE

YOUNG Posing as a detective, Francis Dominic Magee, a labourer, aged 23, entered the shop at 127, Taranaki street, about' 7 p.m. on Wednesday, closed the door, and proceeded to search a Chinaman. The Chinaman was not to fall to such a trick, however, and communicated with the' police. The result was that Magee appeared at the Police Court to-day to answer a charge of using obscene language, resisting Constable Hammond, and assuming the designation of a detective. Magee admitted the first two charges, but denied that he had posed as a detective. . The Chinaman, Ah Ling, ,ivho was called to give evidence, said that when Magee came .into the shop he said he was a detective and asked for 2s. When witness did not give him any money he closed the door and searched him. Witness then went out into the street and asked a friend to ring the Mount Cook Police Station, A constable then arrived on tho scene and took Magco in charge. Asked by Mr. M'Noil whethor he had anything to#ay in answer to tho Chinaman's allegations, the accused said they were a pack of lies; a' lot of d lies. Mr. M'Neil: "Don't talk like that; remember where you are!" The accused: "Well, when he says I searched him he is telling lies." Magee did not advance any other explanation,.and the_ Magistrate entered a conviction against him. With reference to the other charges, Sub-Inspeotor. Lopdell said that when the accused was .approached by the constable he became very violent and appeared to-lose control of himself. It was then that he had used the language complained of. Mr. M'Neil fined the accused £-10, in default one month's imprisonment, for posing as a detective; £3, in default fourteen days' imprisonment, for resisting the constable, and £2, in default fourteen days' imprisonment, for using obscene language. The terms were made concurrent.