“A DISGRACE TO THE ARMED FORCES"
STOLE FROM HIS HUT MATES SIX MONTHS’ IMPRISONMENT A member of the Air'Force who stole from his hut mates was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment by Mr T. E. Maunsell S.M. in the Magistrate’s Court this morning. The accused was Raymond Hanna Lavender, aged 28. He pleaded guilty to the following charges: The theft of £6 10s in money and a wallet, the property of Charles Maurice Vivian Werner; theft of £9 in money and a cigarette case, the property of Allan Wright; the theft of £1 in money, the property of Norman K. McNaughton; and with failing to comply with the terms of his probationary license. Detective-Sergeant F. Hayhurst told the court that the accused was at an Air Force station. For some time complaints had been received of thefts of money from various men there. A few days after his arrival the accused .had stolen £9 from a hut which he shared with another man. On another occasion he stole £6 10s from a young man, and on the last occasion took money while the owner was absent at a class. Accused was a married man and had been before the court previously. Lavender had no principles, addea the detectivesergeant. The matter of thefts at the aerodrome had been very serious and he'd caused considerable difficulty and expense.
“You are certainly a disgrace to the armed forces,” said the Magistrate addressing the accused. "You are living a life of systematic dishonesty.” His Worship added that it was his impression that thefts were rather prevalent in camps. It was a despicable class of theft and the man deserved no consideration whatsoever.
The accused wr i sentenced to six months’ imprisonment on each of the first and second charges, the sentences to be concurrent, and convicted and discharged on the others. When the Magistrate enquired about restitution the detective-sergeant said that the accused had nothing, and the wallet and cigarette case had been thrown away and could not be found.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NEM19431126.2.67
Bibliographic details
Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 26 November 1943, Page 4
Word Count
336“A DISGRACE TO THE ARMED FORCES" Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 26 November 1943, Page 4
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