POLICE COURT

Evening Star, Issue 19791, 15 February 1928, Page 4

POLICE COURT

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15

(Before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.)

AFTER THE WEDDING RARTY. “ They had been to a wedding parly and consumed a fair quantity of liquor, so were in good fighting mood, ’ said Sergeant Turner when prosecuting Charles Bedford and Francis Henry Taylor on a charge of fighting in Moray place. , ~ „, , The sergeant added that the_ fight took place at 1 o’clock this morning. Mr G. J. L. White, v.ho appeared for Bedford, said that this defendant was driving a car full of people from the dance, when young Taylor and another jumped on tho running board. Bedford resented this and got out and dragged Taylor off. This started the scutlie. Bedford, said counsel, had already been punished, for he had got “a beautiful black eye.” He was a married man, and bad never been in trouble before. Counsel asked that defendant’s name be suppressed. Mr W. H. Carson, for Taylor, said his client was only eighteen years of age, and the matter was not a. very serious one. He, too, asked that the name bo suppressed. The Magistrate said that had Bedford contended himself with removing Taylor from the footboard it would not have been so bad, but lie went further. Bedford would be fined 10s, in default 24 hours’ imprisonment, and Taylor 20s, or 48 hours. It was not a case for the suppression of names, added His Worship. TOO PLAUSIBLE. Jack Wilmot Fink had quite a plausible “ explanation ” of how lie became possessed of electric goods to the value of £3 16s when the police charged him with having obtained such goods from Thomas Burns by means of a false pretence. The Chief-detective said that accused went to the complainant and, under the name of Jensen, got the goods, stating that he was erecting an electric sign at an hotel in Cargill road. This statement was found to be a false one. Some of tho globes he sold to the man who was actually erecting the sign; others, he said, had been destroyed. Accused had several previous convictions recorded against him for false pretences. Ho was a married man, and had been Jiving under the name of Jackson. Accused, with considerable volubility, explained that ho had changed his name because be found it difficult, after having been in trouble, to obtain work. Ho had every intention of paying for the globes. What he wanted them for was to make an electric sign, but lie could not manage to get the other material necessary. He sold some of the globes, the others had exploded. The Magistrate: The accused seems very plausible, and I notice he has several "previous convictions for false pretences. He will be sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, with hard labor. THEFT OF BICYCLE. A young man named Robert Henry Holland pleaded guilty to having stolen a bicycle valued at £5, the property of Harold Cartwright. Chief-detective Cameron said accused was twenty-two years of age and a plasterer. He had borrowed the bicycle when working at Oamaru, and disposed of it at Gore for £l, At present he was working in Dunedin and earning £1 a day. Mr Carson said accused came of a good family. It was a case of rashness rather than of criminal intent. He was willing to make restitution, and his employer would take him back at his work. Counsel asked that in view of accused’s youth, his good family and his prospects, and also tho fact that he had already spent twenty-four hours ii tho lock-up, publication of his name be suppressed. The Magistrate said that it had been a shabby theft, but as adcused had employment to go to and had been punished to the extent of having been in custody for twenty-four hours, he would be convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within twelve months. He would also be ordered to pay £5. the value of the bicycle (which bad not been recovered) to the owner. His Worship refused to prohibit the publication of accused’s name. TO ROTO ROA. William Neilson Mackie, who had been remanded for medical treatment on a charge of drunkenness, was brought before tho court for sentence. The Magistrate said that he had the gaol surgeon’s report, which _ showed that defendant was a fit subject for Roto Rom. He would be convicted and ordered to be detained there for a period of twelve months, REMANDED. Robert Miles Rogers, charged with the theft of a quantity of goods valued at £1 15s, the property of James Hall, was, on the application of the chief detective, remanded till Friday next, nominal bail of £5 being granted. The Chief Detective said that accused had gone to the home of his foster parents, forced an entry, and removed the goods. Ho claimed, however, that no had a right to these goods, so time was required to make the necessary inquiries.