PLEAS OF GUILTY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 209, 2 August 1935, Page 14

PLEAS OF GUILTY

THREE ACCUSED MEN. COMMUTED FOR SENTENCE. Pleas of guilty to a charge of breaking, entering and theft were advanced by three young men after the preliminary evidence had beeen heard before Messrs J. Lowe Black and J. A. Cruickshank, Justices of the Peace, in the Magistrate’s Court at Palmerston North yesterday afternoon. The accused were Bernard Bardebes, a carpenter, aged 27, Mervyn Richards, a motor driver, aged 28, and Francis Joseph Ronovicz,. aged 20. They were charged that on July 28, at Palmerston North, they did break and enter the shop of Clement Hunter Martin in Broadway and steal tobacco, cigarettes, pipes and chewing gum of a total value of £8 3s sd. Mr A. M. Ongley appeared for Bardebes and Ronovicz and Mr F. G. Opi© for Richards.

Evidence was given by Clement H. Martin, tobacconist and hairdressei ■carrying on business in Broadway, that ho securely fastened his premises on July 28, at 5.20 p.m. At 10.5 p.m. tile same evening he was called to the police station and shown stock similar to that kept in his shop. Later, lie found the doors at the back had been forced open and the place ransacked.

Constable G. Chapman stated in evidence that acting on information received at 9.30 o’clock on Sunday night he proceeded, accompanied by Constable Evans, to a right-of-way near the Kosy Theatre. They went to asmall shed at the rear of the A.M.P. premises, where the accused Bardebes stepped out, to be followed by Richards. The latter said he went there to have a drink, but could not produce any bottle or other containto a small shed at the rear of the buildings and found the rear door of Mr Martin’s shop open, while an inner door had been forced. Witness found a jemmy and a pair of pliers on a packing case just inside. The shelves behind the counter in the shop had been stripped, and there were several packets of cigarettes bn the floor. Meanwhile, the two accused had admitted to Constable Evans that they had broken into the premises. Later, at the police station Bardebes, when asked to empty his pockets, produced a guantity of cigarettes and tobacco •which he frankly admitted having taken from Mr Martin’s shop. He then made a statement that they bail been drinking in the Square, that a suggestion had been made that they should steal Mr Murphy’s car from the back of the Kosy Lounge, but it had not been acted upon, and that they had afterwards broken into Mr Martin’s shop, subsequently being found in the shed at the rear.

The tobacco found in accused s possession and that which had been recovered later from where it was hidden was produced by Constable Chapman, who said accused’s (Bardebes) condition was one of perfect sobriety when arrested, though, he could smell drink on both of them.

Corrolwinative evidence was given by Constable W. R. Evans, who said that at the police station the accused Richards had made a statement that at about 7.10 p.m. he was sitting in the Square gardens with two Companions, where they had been drinking beer from a two gallon jar. Bardebes, who' had arrived later, suggested breaking into a shop, but one of the quartette refused point blank to have anything to do with the matter and left them, saying he was going to bed. Meanwhile, accused and Bardebes broke into the tobacouist’s shop. Ronovicz undertaking to keep watch outside, but later it was found that the latter had disappeared. Both men were sober when arrested, witness continued. JTc had found a drinking glass when he searched Richards at the police station. Arthur George Bailey, carpenter, gave evidence identifying a jemmy and pliers as his property, which lie had missed from the place where he was working, adjoining . the Kosy Theatre, between July 27 and 29 last.

Detective-Sergeant J. Bickerdike stated in evidence that on July 29, in company with Constable Beaton, lie had interviewed the accused Ronovicz, who admitted being in company with the other accusced at the time the offence was allegedly committed. He had made a statement that he met Mervvn Richards and they consumed beer in the Square, later being* joined by Bardebes. All three agreed to break into the tobacconist’s premises, and accused obtained tools from tire building next to the lvosv Theatre. He handed these to Bardebes and then undertook to keep watch, but became frightened and left. Ten minutes later he saw one of the other' accused passing the Rosy Theatre in company with a constable, so he went off home. He would not have been implicated in tbe matter if he had not taken liquor. This concluded the case for the police and the three accused pleaded guilty, l>eing committed to the Supreme Court at Palmerston North for sentence. Bail was refused in each case.

Subsequently Ronovicz was convicted and discharged on a charge of stealing a pinch bar valued at Vs fid, and a pair of pliers valued at 13s Gd, the property of A. G. Bailey.