UNUSUAL CASE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 9, 9 December 1936, Page 5

UNUSUAL CASE

HEARD AT CHRISTCHURCH. Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 8. An extraordinary story of a married woman who admitted stealing two bicycles but maintained that she knew nothing about either offence, was told in the Magistrate’s Court this morning. The woman, aged 46, whose name was suppressed, pleaded not guilty to stealing two women’s bicycles, each valued at £5. Evidence was given that at the. time the offences were committed the woman had been drinking heavily for a week. Constable Taylor said that at 5.55 a.m. on Thursday he was called to the Chief Post Office. He saw a woman cycling quickly through the Plaza and the postal night watchman said that she had stolen a bicycle. Accused looked as if she had been drinking for a considerable time. A statement made by accused after her arrest was read. Accused said she had left home that morning at 5.-i----to get beer. Before, she went out she had two large glasses of home-made wine. She thought a bicycle at the Post Office was her own, which had been stolen a week previously. In evidence the woman said she could remember her arrest, but did not know what she was arrested for. As for the second bicycle she knew nothing about it. She could not say where it came from. To the Magistrate (Mr E. D. Mosley) accused said that the wine was brewed from wheat. The Magistrate said it was difficult to come to an estimate of accused’s state of mind. He thought the best thing would be to adjourn the case sine die so that accused could be watched.