HELPING POLICE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 134, 4 December 1944, Page 6

HELPING POLICE

MM CHARGED WITH THEFT

REMAND IN CUSTODY

/ An amount offalmost £40,000 was involved, and would result in approximately. 100 more different charges, said Mr. W. E. Leicester, when,he appeared in the Magistrate's Court this morning on behalf, of Leo Brooks, sharebroker and commission agent, aged 47j who was charged with the theft on August 3, 1938, of 500 shares in Consolidated Brick'and Pipe Investments, Ltd., valued at £181 ss, the property of Albert Fry Falconer. Mr. Leicester stated that Brooks had surrendered himself voluntarily to the police and was assisting them with the investigations, and he asked for a remand for two weeks in custody. This man was before the court last Monday on a charge of bookmaking," said Mr. Leicester, "and while in consultation^ with me he revealed the fact that he was seriously involved in 8 number of matters concerning breaches of trust, and expressed his willingness to the police. After some investigation he surrendered, and has been in custody since last week. There are a large number of transactions involving, I regret" to say, an amount of almost £40,000, and this will result in a hundred more different charges. "I wish also to say that this man, who is known as a sharebroker, is not a member of the Wellington Stock Exchange or the Stock Exchange of any other centre. He is merely a privatelyoperating agent.

"The ramifications extend over seven years, and it will take the best part of two to three weeks to have proper statements made. I should ask in the meantime for the defendant to be remanded in custody, where he is assisting the police to unravel the transactions."

Detective-Sergeant E. H. Compton, who appeared for the police, said he was in agreement with the facts as >■

stated by Mr. Leicester. He asked that the remand be made in police custody, to enable Brooks to be kept at the police station. - . * <

A remand for two weeks was granted by Mr. J. L. Stout, S.M.