BANK CLERK’S BETS

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 July 1937, Page 13

BANK CLERK’S BETS

I,OST £1616 IN THREE WEEKS. BRISBANE. June 29. Eric. Francis Elliott. 44. pleaded guilty to a charge that between September, 1936, and April, 192 (. while employed as a clerk at Hie Queensland National Bank, he stole sums amounting to £1616. Elliot, was in the bank’s employ for 24 years. Mr. O’Driscoll, prosecuting, said that apparently Elliott got. into financial difficulties and started gambling on races in the effort, to recover. The day before the defalcations were discovered, he took £7OO in one last, desperate effort, to retrieve his position. Mr. McLaughlin, for Elliott, said that practically all the money went in betting at six race meetings in three weeks. In one race he backed Marfelt, which won by three lengths. This would have enabled him to recover, hut the stewards took the race away JTom the horse. His Honor Mr. Justice Henchman imposed a sentence of two years’ imprisonment, and directed that after six months Elliott should be released on his own bond of £250, with one surety of £250, conditionally on his making restitution of £5OO to the bank in four quarterly instalments, the first £125 to be paid nine months hence.