THEFT OF CYCLE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 232, 30 August 1938, Page 2

THEFT OF CYCLE.

PROBATION FOR YOUTH. Appearing before Mr H. P. Lawry, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court at Palmerston North, yesterday, Kenneth Edward Austin, a labourer, aged 19, was charged with the theft of a cycle valued at £5, the property of John Kelliher, and also with the theft, at Whakarongo, of a brace valued at 12s 6d the jiroperty of J. A. McLeavey. Mr A. AV. \ortt appeared for accused, and entered a plea of guilty to both charges. ' , . Detective-Sergeant Meiklejohn stated that when accused left his employment at Whakarongo he took the brace, which could not now be traced. The cvcle was missed by its owner from the rear of a city building on August 12, but the owner later saw it in a stand in town, where he intercepted accused, who had made contradictory statements as to how he came by the machine. Accused had been twice warned for offences, and had been placed on two years’ probation m May last at Wellington. . . The probation officer (Mr 11. _ Cole) stated that accused had been in and out of jobs and did not appear to be able to settle down.' He was very untruthful, and had two or tlwee chances, and there was nothing that could be said in his favour. Mr Yortt stated that though accused had twice previously been before the Court one appearance was for a very trivial offence. He had come into town from Ivairanga, attended a dance and taken the cycle in order to get home again. A week later he rode 1 into town, and the owner saw it. Accused was all right as long as he was under parental care, but he was young, of an impressionable age, and mixed with the wrong associates. If he were given a further chance, his parents would keep a tight rein on lnm. Considering that a mitigating i/ e,a " ture was that no attempt had been made to disguise the cycle, the Mao- - said he would give accused another chance, and admit him to probation for two years on the charge of stealing the cycle. Accused would be convicted without penalty on the other charge, but ordered to make restitution of the value of the brace.