CHARGES OF THEFT

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVI, Issue 3446, 22 March 1932, Page 5

CHARGES OF THEFT

YOUTH BEFORE COURT.

THREE MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT. A sitting of the Justices Court was held this morning, when David Asher was charged with three offences: That he stole cutlery valued at 18s from the Auckland Bowling Club, that he stole a pocket book from a Waitomo resident, and that he was an idle and disorderly person, not having sufficient lawful means of support. The Justices of the Peace were Messrs. J. F. D. Tammadge and T. Carroll. On the first charge the accused was remanded to appear before the Magistrate's Court at Auckland. In respect to the next two he pleaded guilty to the theft charge, but not guilty to being idle and disorderly. Sergeant Fearnley said that when accused had been implicated in the theft of the cutlery, his mate had been arrested, but accused had escaped, and since then accused had been loafing round Waitomo. When stealing the pocket book he gained entrance to the house by means o*f a window. He admitted that, had there been money lying around, he would have' taken that. He had been living on the Maoris for the most part.

Constable Muir stated that he had arrested accused when trying to sell a borrowed bicycle. He had previously interviewed him in connection with the attempted conversion of two cars at Waitomo, and also an attempted entry. Accused had no fixed dwelling, nor lawful means of support. Sergeant Fearnley stressed the fact that accused was idle and disorderly. He had had several previous convictions, and though young, seemed to have deliberately embarked on a career of crime. He had no means when arrested, and was evidently a youth who preferred crime to work. Accused was convicted and sentenced to three months' imprisonment on each charge, the sentences to be concurrent.