POLICE COURT

Evening Star, Issue 22954, 11 May 1938, Page 5

POLICE COURT

WEDNESDAY, MAY 11. (Before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.) INTOXICATED MOTORIST. A plea of guilty was entered by Geoffrey Daniel Davy (50) to a charge of being in a! state of intoxication while in charge of a motor car in George street on May 6. Senior-sergeant Claasen, who prosecuted, said that on Friday night the offender was seen by Inspector Dickel, of the corporation staff, as he was parking his car. The inspector observed the peculiar way in which he parked it, and told him to park it further along. The inspector became suspicious of the accused’s condition, and found him under the influence of liquor. He was brought to the station, and was found to be very substantially under the influence of liquor. He was so exalted that he told the inspector and Dr Harty, who examined him, that they would be out of a job on Monday morning.

Mr J. G. Warrington, who appeared for the accused, told the court that Davy had some liquor before tea, but he drove along the busiest part of the town without any incident occurring. The difficulty with the inspector arose over a misunderstanding concerning the parking regulations. The licensed was gassed at the war, where he served for four years, and had an excitable temperament. If he said anything offensive he was very sorry for it. He had been driving for 28 years in the Philippines, in the cities of Australia, and in New Zealand without mishap! Ho had returned to Dunedin in the last few months and established an agency business, but ho appreciated he must lose his license for a period. He bore an excellent character and had an excellent reputation. “ It is unfortunate that a man of his excellent record should have slipped in this way,” said the Magistrate in convicting the accused and fining him £25, also ordering him to pay medical expenses amounting to 21s. Sis license was cancelled, and he was prohibited from driving for 12 months. SERIOUS CHARGE. James Alexander Spence Tapp (38) was charged with committing incest at Glenomaru on December 12, and on the applictaion of Chief-detective J. B. Young was remanded-until May 18. THEFT OF RIFLE, William Addison Booth pleaded guilty to the theft on May 1, at Taieri Mouth, of a rifle and two boxes of ammunition and sundry articles, of a total value of £3 10s, the property of Victor Robinson. ' • The Chief Detective said that this youth had appeared before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., on Monday to answer, a charge of shooting a sheep. Mr Young asked for a remand until Monday next, as there were other matters to be inquired into and other persons to he seen. The accused was remanded until Monday next. ADMITTED TO PROBATION.' ■ “ This is a childish prank,” said His Worship to Albert Thomas Darken, who was charged that, on December 25, at Clyde-Cromwell Gorge, he committed mischief by wilfully damaging volt insulators of a total value of £5, the property of the Central Otago Electric Power Board. The accused pleaded guilty. _ Senior-sergeant Claasen said that complaints had been received that several large cups on the power line had been broken, and finally this lad, who had been recently discharged from a circus, made a full confession of his part of the damage. Ho was 19 years of age. In his confession he stated that he had been drinking and commenced throwing stones at insulators, stating that he had broken edges off two of these insulators. The lad probably did not appreciate the damage caused by his foolish action. The Magistrate told the accused that he could consider himself lucky ait the treatment the court proposed to extend to him, as this was a serious nuisance, damage of this sort to electric line cups. The accused was admitted to probation for 12 months, restitution of £5 to be made within three months. DRUNKENNESS. '' On a charge of drunkenness, Leonard Otto Hardy, a statutory first offender, was fined 20s, in default 48 hours’ im-