COURT NEWS

Grey River Argus, 23 March 1928, Page 2

COURT NEWS

ASSAULTED PORTERS. CHRISTCHURCH, March j 22. In the Magistrate‘s Court to-day, William James Whitta was sentenced to fourteen days’ imprisonment for assaulting porters on a Lyttelton train, and two months - ’ hard labour for using obscene language in the presence of women. He was also convicted for drunkenness Magistrate Lowry said: “The railway officials have a dangerous time without having an. added danger from men like you.’’ ‘ ‘ HIGHLY RESPECTABLE. ’ ’ AUCKLAND, Marsh 22. A middle-aged man described by counsel as highly respect ible, aud manager of a w.’ell-kuown Auckland business concern, was charged to-day with attempting to steal from the City Hotel. Tb« Chief Detectcive stated that accusqd V as ,-tound upstairs turning, over a mattress When questioned he said lie was looking for a couple of pounds, or anything else he could get Accused had £6 in his possession. Counsel said accused was married with five children. He had been drinking a good deal, and had been associating with men he should not have met. The whole thing was a. freak, and if his name were not suppressed, it would mean absolute ruination.

Magistrate McKean agreed that no offence (exchpt dirunkonness) was really committed, and adjourned the case for six months and suppressed the name. “BOOKIE’’ CONFIDES TO CONSTABLE. CHRISTCHURCH, March 22. Laying odds, twenty to one for the first and second, Leslie Joseph Shadbolt made several bets with a policeman in plain clothes at last Saturday ’s trotting meeting a New Brighton. Ho took the constable completely into his confidence telling him his system and bis method of recording bets. When lie camp before Mr Mosley, S.M., today, Shadbolt pleaded not guilty, but after hearing the police evidence, altered his plea to “Guilty.’’ The Magistrate having regard for Shadbolt’s delicate health and his poor circumstances and his crude methods of betting which showed he was not a large scale operator, imposed a fine of £lO, allowing a mouth in which to pay, in default, one month’s gaol. # Shadbolt is a war pensioner and was stated that ho had lost money in his book-making venture.