COURT NEWS

Grey River Argus, 20 August 1940, Page 2

COURT NEWS

CONVERTED CAR TWO SOLDIERS IN COURT AUCKLAND, August 19. Two soldiers from Trentham camp, Colin Vivian Symons, aged 20, and Oswald Oliver Wahrlich, aged 21, appeared before Mr C. R l . Orr Walker, S.M., in the Police Court yesterday on a number of charges following the conversion of a motor-car in Wellington and a trip in it to Auckland. Both accused were charged that on July 27 they unlawfully converted to their own use a car valued at £4OO, the property of Ernest William Lunberg, and with recklessly driving tne car in Karangahape Road on July 31, thereby causing bodily injury to Constable Jack Apps. The accused Symons was also charged with the theft of petrol and oil at Palmerston North, and with the theft of lli gallons of petrol at Hamilton. Constable Apps said that on July 31 he saw a car in France Street resembling one reported missing in Wellington. He stood on the running board and directed the accused, who were both in the car, to drive to the Newton Police Station. When they were in Karangahape Road the car swerved and witness was brushed off against a safety zone, being thrown heavily to the ground. The accused were arrested in Hamilton on August. 1.

Both accused pleaded guilty to unlawfully converting the car. Wahrlich pleaded guilty to the charge of reckless driving. Symons pleaded not. guilty to this charge and the magistrate dismissed it. On the charge of theft at Hamilton, Symons was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment. On the indictable charges, the accused were committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.