SHOPLIFTING MANIA

Evening Star, Issue 21091, 2 May 1932, Page 5

SHOPLIFTING MANIA

WEALTHY WOMAN IH COURT A wealthy woman, tin wife of a Government official, was before the Marylobono magistrate in london a, few weeks ago on a charge o : shoplifting. The defendant was sated to have recently come into a ' fortune of £B,OOO on the death of her piother. She pleaded guilty to stealingtwo lace slips, one pair of pyjamas, foui dress shields, four sleeve shields, oatcafe, 11b butter, jar of herring roe, twi combs, five packets of biscuits, two pickets of nuts, a lemon, veal loaf, meat pie, tin of beans, and four bars of cjocolate. The goods were valued at £3 i2s 9cl. Counsel said that in 1118 defendant was bound over for shopliiing, and was again bound over in 1951. Dr Hugh Creighton filler, mental specialist, of Harley street, said that he had treated the defendmt since 1918. She was one of those unfoijmnate people of peculiar mentality win were perfectly irresponsible m thj_ way of acquisitiveness for reasons wllch the medical profession understood well, but, unfortunately, could not cntrol. Had she not been deaf ho woild have had the highest hopes of curing her, but her infirmity made her untreitable by the only method that was likey to be effective. The Magistrate: She s rather a dangerous member of the'community? Witness: Very definitey so. The danger that her weakness;would manifest itself again will alvays be present, and no sort of peifil treatment will have the slightest heiofit. Segregation was called for, he added, and had previously had a benficial effect. Defending counsel saidithat defendant’s husband and her failily had done everything they could to restrain her. They suggested that she should bo segregated in a home and made to deposit in court £IOO, on condition that she stayed there at least a year. The Magistrate said ]e was very sorry for defendant’s relations, but lie did not see why bo should [leal with the case in a different way Iron any other.' He fined the woman £2O, sgs costs, or three months’ imprisoimcnt.