FALSE PRETENCE

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 April 1939, Page 10

FALSE PRETENCE

“THEFT” 06' MOTOR-CYCLE. [PEB PBKSS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. April 17. Charges of making a. false statement to the police, and of attempting to obtain £4O from the General Accident, Fire, and Life Assurance Corporation, Ltd., by means of a false pretence, were admitted by Leslie Bramwell Clifford, a motor-driver, 24, who came before Mr. J. H. Luxford, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court to-day. It wits stated that accused was at present on probation, for attempted false pretences, and that the proceedings were in the nature of “cleaning-up” charges. After the circumstances had been outlined by the prosecution, Clifford was convicted and discharged on both counts.

During December, said DetectiveSergeant P. Doyle, v/ho prosecuted, accused packed his motor-cycle in a case, and on December 29 he called at the offices of a carrying company, paid for storage in advance, and instructed the company to call at his residence and collect a case. He gave a fictitious name. On January 15 lie called at the Taranaki street police station,: and made a false statement reporting that his motor-cycle had been stolen. Later he went to the insurance company, and made a claim for insurance on the machine, amounting to £4O. Some time afterwards re retrieved the case, unpacked the motor-cycle, filed the numbers off rhe engine and chassis, and left it abandoned. It Avas later recovered by the police. To bolster up his claim, he paid instalments in advance on the machine, and nt. the rime it was recovered there was only £ll owing - on it.

Constable F. O. Scott, of the detective office, read a statement in which accused admitted the offence. In it Clifford stated that, he did not. collect the insurance money, and did not gain anything from the offences. He realised that, be had been foolish.