CHEQUE FORGER

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 August 1933, Page 5

CHEQUE FORGER

“CRIME DOES NOT PAY.’’ SYDNEY, August. 4. “1 am satisfied that crime does not pay,’’ said George Henry Davis, 45, clerk, from the dock of the Central Court, yesterday, after pleading guilty to four charges of forging' and uttering. He was alleged to have forged four cheques for amounts totalling £29/10/- on the Commercial Banking Company and purporting to be signed by R. Stratton, lie was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment. Sergeant Toole, police prosecutor, said that Davis had been sentenced for forgery and false pretences in Wellington, Dunedin, Christchurch, and New Plymouth, New Zealand, and in Sydney and Adelaide. He had been declared an habitual criminal at New Plymouth. From the dock Davis said that during the last five years he had been trying very hard to “go straight.” After being released from gaol in South Australia in 1928, he had only been convicted once. He came to New South Wales three years ago, but had been unable to get a permanent position. He had worked for the Salvation Army for nine months, and the Army was well satisfied with his work. He had committed the present crimes in January, and they were the result of a drinking bout during Christmas. “Since then,” said Davis, “I have been living a strictly honest life, although I have been up against hardship and have had many temptations to, go wrong. My trouble is that 1 become extravagant through going in for high living and drink.” Mr MacDougal, S.M.: You have made a habit of forgery. The defendant: In most of the eases 1 have signed an assumed name, and not. forged other persons’ names.

Sergeant Toole said that what the defendant had said about the Salvation Army was true. The cheques were passed at the time of a drinking bout. Tim cheques came out of a waste-paper basket. They had been printed by a firm and then condemned. Mr MacDougal: I intended to sentence you to two yeais’ imprisonment, but I will give you 12 months.