JUDGE INTERVENES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 304, 21 November 1934, Page 8

JUDGE INTERVENES

PECULIAR END TO CASE. ACQUITTAL _ OF ACCUSED. Per Press Association. BLENHEIM, Nov. 21. There was an unusual conclusion to a criminal trial in the Supreme Court this morning when Air Justice Blair intervened with the remark that the money involved undoubtedly ’ belonged to tho prisoner in tho dock and that, far from complainant having a claim against him, the boot was on the other foot.

The case was one in which Vaughan Gothrie Engstrpm, of Alasterton, was indicted that, on September 8 at Blenheim, he received the sum of £35 on terms requiring him to account for it to Joseph Reginald Wilson, • sales manager of Provincial Motors, Wellington. The evidence showed that Wilson bought a car for £7O for Engstrom’s use, but registered it in Engstrom’s name and Engstrom entered into a hire purchase arrangement to buy the car from Wilson. Later, the car was sold at Lower Moutere to a man named Cook for £52, and a trade-in ear taken in at the valuation of £4B—a total of £IOO. Later still, Engstrom sold the second car in Blenheim to one, Jellyman, for £4O and did not account to Wilson for £35 of that amount.

His Honour said it was obvious that the car sold to Jellyman was accused’s property, as he held the original car under a hire purchase agree,-nent and was entitled to any profit on its original sale at Lower Aloutere. The case should never have been brought. The jury, without leaving the box, returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty.