REHAB. LOAN USED FOR WAGER

Evening Star, Issue 26030, 19 February 1947, Page 5

REHAB. LOAN USED FOR WAGER

FALSE PRETENCE CHARGE (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Feb: 18. A wager of £l5O on Bos Murphy in the fight in which he lost on a foul to the American negro, Willie Jones, had a sequel in the Supreme Court when Sydney Everard Byron Wood, aged 27, a labourer and hoot repairer, appeared before Mr Justice Fair for sentence today after pleading guilty to a charge of false pretences concerning £ll6 of the wager, which represented part of a rehabilitation loan.

For the accused, Mr G. Joseph said that Wood, who had purchased a business and was making regular payments to the State Advances Corporation, had sold his shop, but although £ll6 was still owing, he did not disclose that to the purchaser, but he was intending to repay the sum oiit of the purchase money. However, on the day before the sale he made the wager on Murphy and as Jones won he was unable to pay the money to the State Advances Corporation. When he informed the State Advances and the purchaser they went to the police. Mr Joseph submitted that the offence was mo’-e foolish than criminal.

The prisoner was admitted to probation for two years, and an order was made for restitution of £l2O at the rate of £2 weeklv.