CRIMINAL TRIALS

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 101, 2 May 1933, Page 8

CRIMINAL TRIALS

YESTERDAY'S CASES

"With one exception, in all the indictments presented to the Grand Jury tit the opening oi! tlio second quarterly criminal sessions before Mr. Justice Blair in the Supremo Court yesterday true bills were returned. Two of the prisoners against whom true bills were brought in then pleaded guilty. The following were the mombcrs'of the Grand Jury:—John Thomas Martin (foreman),"Walter Harry Long, Alexander. Porter Beid, Joseph' Hawaii Ashbridge, Harvey Richardson Thomas, Eustace Neville- Cavayc, Thomas Scott, George Williamson Rock, John Morris Griffiths, Wilfred John Gray, Sydney Alexander Johnson, Harold Anthony Beauchamp, Hugh Eobert Oakley Caldwcll, Samuel John Pilgrim, Harry Arthur Shepherd, Albert Walker, Harold William Osborn, Wilfred Graham Morpcth, Robert Hugh Davidson Nifthol, Ernest Horton Picot, Thomas WUliain Pago, Jack Huia Mills, and William Edmund Jackson. TRUE BILLS. True bills were returned in the following cases:—William Stevens'Booilerkirk, alleged indecent assault on a male; Henry Martin Murphy, alleged unlawful carual< knowledge; John Miatern Paull, alleged breaking and'entering and theft; Henry Droit, alleged theft; Percy Walter Lovell, alleged attempted breaking .and1 Catering with intent to commit a crime; Micna/jl John Ford, alleged theft; Mona Bartlett and Keith Bartlett, alleged false pretences; John Edwin Bupert Buy, alleged theft; John ■ Charles Cannon iind John Alexander Paton Sissons, alleged conspiracy to defraud; John Joseph McClintock, alleged breaking and entering and theft; Ernest Matthieu Finlayson, alleged false pretences; Philip Gordon Brazier and Goorgo Albert Edwards, alleged theft; James Andrews, alleged obscene exposure; pugh Rupert Austin, alleged breaking and entering and theft. No bill was returned in the case of Alfred James Bartlett,' who had been committed for trial on a charge of false pretences. GUILTY OF THEFT. When John' Edward Bupert Bay was called ho pleaded guilty to the theft of a player-piano at Carterton. ffis counsel, Mr. H. B. Biss, explained that the prisoner had entered into a hire-purcliase agreement about the piano in 1927 when his financial position was comparatively good. He had paid altogether £143 off the piano, and there was a balance of £46 owing on it when, he sold it, using the proceeds for his domestic expenses. Since 1930 ho had been on roliof works aid had had a hard job to make ends meet. The prisoner was a married man with three young daughters, and this was the,first time he had been before the Court., "This is a case in which' 1 think probation could be granted," said his. Honour. He admitted Bay to probation for twelve months. "Seeing that you are a relief worker I don't think it is proper to add to your burden, by ordering you to pay tho costs of the prosecution," he told the priaonor.. REMANDED FOB SENTENCE. . John Mintern Paull pleaded guilty to receiving, shoe 3of a total value of £12 13s, knowing them to have been dishonestly obtained. The plea was accepted by the Crown Prosecutor (Mr. P. S. X.' Macassey), and the prisoner was remanded for sentence! . After a short retirement the juryfound 'Henry Martin Murphy, aged 24, guilty of carnal knowledge of a girl aged 14 years 9 months. The jury made a very 1 strong recommendation to mercy, and the prisoner, for whom Mr. A. J. Mazengarb appeared, was remanded for sentence. A PRISONER ACQUITTED. Found' not guilty of attempting to break and enter a boarding-house i» Cambridge Terrace with intent to com-1 mit theft, Percy Walter Lovell,. aged 24, was discharged. The proprietor of, the house heard his window being 'interfered with during the night, and, after calling out, went^ outside and found the accused outside the door. The accused denied that he had any sinister intent, and walked away. He was later arrested, but in a statement to Detective Ritchie said that he did not know what ho was doing at the time of the alleged offence, as he was drunk.