"A PIRATICAL GANG"

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 67, 21 March 1933, Page 8

"A PIRATICAL GANG"

TRAIL OF BAD CHEQUES

NEARLY £200 INVOLVED

Twenty-four charges of false pretences, arising from the issuing of valueless cheques, were admitted by Henry Arthur Cooper, a mechanic, aged 29, when he appeared before Mr. E. Page, S.M., at the- Magistrate's Court today.. Detective-Sergeant Revell said that on August 8, 1932, the accused was discharged from prison and went to Christchureh, where- he met three men. They decided to raise money by means of valueless cheques, and to obtain a cheque book the accused opened an account at a bank in Christchureh. He issued a number of valueless cheques there, . and then went to Timaru, where he opened another account and issued more cheques. From Timaru the accused went to Wanganui, Hawera, Patea, Waverly, Wangaeliu, Levin, and Auckland, where he also issued a number of valueless cheques. As a result of the accused's activities business men were defrauded to tho extent of £104 ±i 8d in money and £79 4s 2d in goods. Of this amount only £31 Os lid had been recovered. The accused issued fifteen valueless cheques, and his companions nine. In November, continued Mr. Revell, the accused came to Wellington from Auckland and obtained employment at a freezing works, where he had been working ever sin.cc. "This much can be said to the accused's credit," said Mr. Eevell. "After coming' back to Wellington ho obtained employment and ceased issuing these valueless cheques. By pleading guilty to these charges^he has saved the country the expense of sending him to be tried at all these towns." The accused had greatly assisted Detective Campion in his inquiries, but unfortunately he had a criminal history dating from 1021 and had numerous' convictions for false pretences and forgery. COMPANIONS LEAVE COUNTRY. Counsel for the accused (Mr. W. P. Boilings) said that Cooper seemed to have embarked on a career, of crime from the age of 16..The accused said that his companions 'had relieved him of most of the money and had left the country. In consequence the accused stood to take the full blame for the actions of' what might be~ described as a piratical gang. ' Mr. Eollings said that' since .the accused left Auckland ho had shown every sign of turning over a new leaf. Counsel suggested that the Magistrate might impose the shortest possible term of hard labour. Mr. Page: • If this man dame up as a first offender I might be able to view the case in a very different light to the one in which I must view it. The accused has a lengthy list of convictions. ..."

On the first charge the accused was sentenced to reformative detention for a period not exceeding three yeais. On each of the other charges he was convicted and ordered to come up-for sentence within three years if called upon.