INJURED HIMSELF TO AVOID SUSPICION

Northern Advocate, 8 January 1938, Page 4

INJURED HIMSELF TO AVOID SUSPICION

[Per Press Association. Copyright.] WANGANUI, This Day The holiday calm cf the Wanganui East Police Station was disturbed ■about 1 o’clock on Tuesday night by a gasping voice at :he oilier end o" tne telephone wires, c~ ling, “Come juick, there are burglars in the house.” Two constables were despatched to a residence on the left bank of the river, about three miles from the city, and there found Leslie Clarence MeSavney, aged 34, lying in the telephone room in a semi-conscious condition. Abrasions on Face. There were two abrasions on his face, the worst one being on the forehead. He gasped out that he was the caretaker of the premises, the owner of which, Mrs Bertha J. Taylor, was ay/ay on holiday, and that he had seen a light, and on investigating found burglars, who attacked him and decamped. * The injured man was sent to hospital and a police search was instituted. The incident had its sequel in the Magistrate’s Court to-day, when McSavney pleaded guilty to a summary charge that he made a false statement to the police in alleging that the house had been burgled. Staged Whole Affair. The accused was caretaker in charge of the house and grounds while the' owner was away on holiday, said Detective J. Murray. He subsequently admitted that he had staged the whole affair, inflicting injuries on himself in an effort to avoid suspicion falling on him. He had two previous convictions for theft. The accused was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment. On a further charge of breaking and entering and the theft of £29/10/ from the house, he was remanded to appear on January 17.