“NO CRIMINAL DESIGN”

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 17 November 1926, Page 4

“NO CRIMINAL DESIGN”

EMPLOYEE FOUND IN OFFICE

VERDICT OF NOT GUILTY

(By Telegraph —Special to "The Mail.")

CHRISTCHURCH, 16th Nov. It took the jury just'about - two' minutes to-day to decide that Robert James Foote- had no criminal design when he entered' tho office of his employer late one evening. Foote, according to his own story, was looking forpeace and quietness. He had quarrelled .with his wife and left the house looking for a quiet place in which to sleep. What followed must have seemed like a nightmare to him. It ended, in his appearance in the Supreme. Court- before Mr Justice Stringer. Foote, w r ho was not represented by counsel, pleaded not guilty to a charge of . breaking and entering the office of the St. Alban’s Brewery on 29th September with intent to'commit a crime therein.

The Crown Prosecutor (Mr A. T. Donnelly) said that, at about 10.30 p.m. on 29th September Foote xvas found in the office, of the brewery. He had entered the office apparently by prising open the door with a tyre lever. Nothing in the office- had been disturbed. Accused, who xvas an employee .at the brewery, gave an explanation, that lie had had a row xvith his xvife and had gone to tlie brewery, intending to sleep in a- motor lorry there. He took liis hoots off and had been sitting xvith Iris back against the office door when the door sxvung open. He went in and was in the office when the tnanaging director of the brewery, Mir H. Stiles, arrived there. Mr. Donnelly'added that it was important to remember that nothing in the office xvas disturbed'and accused gave an explanation which on the face of it looked probable. Foote xvas a married man with seven..children and his story that he had had a tiff xvith Iris wife and had gone to the • brewery to sleep in a lorry seemed probable,' for his hoots xverc found in the lorrv.

Accused did not give evidence or address the jury, and after his Honour had summed up, remarking that the case did not look quite like a criminal endeavour to rob his employers, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty xvitliout leaving the box.