UNLAWFUL CONVERSION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVIII, Issue 167, 14 June 1928, Page 8

UNLAWFUL CONVERSION.

MOTOR CAR TAKEN

ACCUSED CONVICTED AND DISCHARGED.

(Special to "Standard.”) FEILDING, June 14,

On Thursday last, Mr T. Masters, of Feilding', left in Iris car to visit some friends oil the Hafcomhe Road and, oh arriving: at ,his destination, parked the vehicle’, outside the front gate. On liis return, he discovered that, the car was missing and it was.subsequently located in Huuterville by tho I>olice, wlio also took into custody the person with it. As a sequel to tho above occurrence Leslie Morgan Charles McKewen, a single man, aged 25, appeared on remand from tho Runterville Police Court before Messrs E. Gcodbehero and. li. H. Fisher, J.P.’s, at a special meeting of tho Feilding Court this morning and was charged with (1) unlawfully converting to his own us© a car valued at £-100, the property of Thomas blasters, and (2) the theft of three gallons of benzine valued at 7s. Accused admitted his guilt to both charges. In outlining the facts of the case, Sergeant Cahill said that accused came from Auckland about three months ago and had the misfortune to hurt his leg.as a result of which ho was in the Wellington Hospital for six weeks. Leaving hospital, accused made his way by stages to Palmerston North, and later to Feilding where ho saw the car standing oil the side of tho road. ■ He had taken the vehicle and driven it to Turakina and then on to Marton, with the intention of proceeding to Taumarunui. About 7 p.m. ho pulled up on tho side of tho road and slept in the car for tho night, proceeding on to Huntcrville in the morning, where lie was accosted by the police and taken into custody, lie had made a lull confession of wliat he had done to the Hunterville police and, at this stage, the sergeant expressed the belief thataccused was mentally weak and called medical evidence to support his belief. Dr. Phillips, medical practitioner, stated that he had examined accused and, although he (accused) was not mentally deficient, lie was certainly mentally weak. Accused was also in a bad state physically and iti witness’s opinion was more a case for a hospital than anything else. Accused had told witness that lie had been hammered by someone with a stick and his condition certainly bore out his remarks. He was badly bruised about the body, his right ear was bleeding internally, and Ills faco was also cut and bruised. Witness again stated that accused should be put into a hospital unless he had- someone to look after him.

Sergeant Cahill explained to the Bench that accused’s brother had arrived from Auckland to take charge of him and take him back to the northern city.

Tho Bench enquired if the car had been returned undamaged and, on being answered in tho affirmative, convicted and discharged accused and ordered him to come up for sentence if called upon. An order was also made for the repayment of the value of tho three gallons of benzine.