THEFTS ON THE WHARF

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 76, 31 March 1939, Page 10

THEFTS ON THE WHARF

NOT EASY TO DETECT

MAN SENT TO GAOL

"Offences of this nature are fairly prevalent on the wharf, and are particularly hard to detect," said Detec-tive-Sergeant Doyle, prosecuting, in

the Magistrate's Court today, when George McKinley, a wharf labourer, aged 49, appeared before Mr. W. F. Stilwell, S.M., charged with the theft of hindquarters of mutton valued at 10s, the property of the Shaw Savill and Albion Company. ' McKinley, who pleaded guilty to the offence, was represented by Mr. R. Hardie Boys. At 9.15 o'clock last night, said Detec-tive-Sergeant Doyle, Detectives H. A. Hay and W. J. Hedley were on duly at the Glasgow Wharf. One of the Shaw Savill and Albion Company's boats was berthed there and was loading frozen meat for Great Britain. The detectives observed the accused coming from the direction of the vessel to the gate leading out of the wharf to Waterloo Quay, and they noticed that he was carrying something bulky. When accosted, he said that it was just a bit of meat. On being searched it was discovered that he had two hindquarters of mutton under his coat, and he frankly admitted to the detectives that he had stolen them from the hold where he had been working. The accused mentioned to the detectives that one of the factors which prompted him to commit the theft was that he had had considerable expense recently, and was in debt to the extent of about £100. "I don't think there was, any need for this man to steal in this manner," said Detective-Sergeant Doyle. "During 1938, for 47 weeks, he averaged £7 a week, and drew £324 16s 6d fbr work performed as a labourer on ithe wharves, and during the last twelve weeks he drew £95 10s 7d. Yesterday he drew £11 55.7 d, and five weeks ago he drew £12 8s lOd." The accused, it was stated, had not been before the Court since 1927. He had a family of seven.

Mr. Hardie Boys said that there was little counsel or anybody else could say in extenuation of the offence. Apart from any penalty that the Court might impose by. way of sentence. McKinley had ruined himself on the wharf for the immediate future, as he must be stood down, and it was prob-able-that under the. operation of the bureau system he would not be put back on the bureau.

Although the wages the accused had drawn were good, said Mr. Boys, he had none the less had some heavy expenses to meet over the last three or four years, and had been required to catch up on back moneys. He had a large family, which was, with the exception of two, wholly dependent on him, and any penalty of the Court must bring hardship on them as well.

"As the Detective-Sergeant has said, these matters are frequent and difficult to detect, and in the particular circumstances I think I should fail in my duty to the public in general and the shipping community in particular if I did' not make some attempt to stop them," said the Magistrate. Probation or a fine was out of the question, and he must inflict a prison sentence, which, in view of the circumstances revealed, would be shorter than would otherwise have been imposed.

McKinley was convicted and sentenced to one month's imprisonment.