COURTS AND OFFENCES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 21 December 1928, Page 9

COURTS AND OFFENCES.

SHOPLIFTERS SENT TO PRISON

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 21

Two women shoplifters were sentenced bv the magistrate (Mr. Mosley), Anita Esther Wilson to three weeks’ imprisonment, and hiiuo Celina Kortegast to 14 days.. Hie thefts had extended over a period of months. On hearing the sentence Wilson cried, “My children! my children!” and collapsed m the dock.

CASES AT WELLINGTON

WELLINGTON, Dec. 21. “I shall have to impose a term of imprisonment,” said Mr. Page, S.M. “This man has been well . educated and has had previous warnings in a sense. He has been twice convicted of serious offences.” The accused was Eric Donald Ross, aged 29, who . a few years, ago was a solicitor practising in Christchurch and who was before the court in May, 1926, and in August the same year on charges of theft and sentenced to detention for reformative treatment, afterwards going to Australia, where he worked as a journalist. He returned to New Zealand a few weeks ago, and to-day pleaded guilty to the theft of a, suit case and contents from the passageway of a hotel, and a travelling rug from a. shop doorway. He was given four months’ imprisonment.

Jeremiah Purcell, aged 25. who admitted being drunk while in charge of a. Gas Company’s lorry, was fined £ls. It was stated that he had taken a load of coke to one of the clubs, where he was supplied with beer, and the plea that something was due to the festive season was made bv counsel.