NOT GUILTY VERDICT

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 February 1947, Page 2

NOT GUILTY VERDICT

CHARGE OF BOOKMAKING AT ‘ WELLINGTON JURY AND THE EVIDENCE (PA.) WELLINGTON, Feb. 7. Kenneth Osborne Muir, a barman, aged 50, was found not guilty in the Supreme Court to-day on a charge of carrying on the business of bookmaking. The case was heard before Mr, Justice Fair. Mr. G. I. Joseph appeared for the accused, who pleaded not guilty. . • , Constable B. W. Anncar said ne visited (in plain clothe- ■ : Hotel, Wellington, on December 19, 20, 24, 27 and 28, and received a double chart from the accused, who was a barman in the hotel. Witness placed several bets with the accused, and received two dividends from him. Cross-examined by Mr. Joseph, witness said that under instructions, he visited several hotels before he arrived at the Regent Hotel. He had about a dozen drinks before he reached the Regent and probably had six drinks there.

Detective-Sergeant G. E. Callaghan said that, when interviewed, the accused denied that he had been carrying on the business of a bookmaker. The accused said he had never seen Constable Annear before. The accused had £3O/11/6 and a racebook upon him.

Mr. Joseph contended that there was no evidence to prove that the accused carried out betting transactions in the hotel. The only thing Annear had seen the accused do was to hand over a double chart. The constable had admitted that he had never seen the accused taking bets from anyone else and had admitted that he had about 12 drinks before he visited the Regent Hotel and that he had six more at the hotel. It might well be that he was wrong in his identification of the man with whom he made bets. The jury found the accused not guilty and added the following rider. “This jury recommends that in cases such as' this, corroborative evidence should be submitted, particularly where the Crown’s case depends on evidence of one constable.”