POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17361, 7 January 1920, Page 8

POLICE COURT NEWS.

A MIDNIGHT INTRUDER.

"PEEPING TOM" AT DEVONPORT.

YOUNG MAN . SENT TO GAOL.

A midnight disturbance at a 'Devonport resident's house on Sunday, caused by a young man trespassing in the garden and peeping through the bedroom windows, led to William Richard Harrison being charged before Mr. J. E. Wilson, S.M., in the Police Court yesterday, with having "been found illegally by night on the enclosed premises in question. The accused, a well-dressed young man of 22 years, shamefacedly pleaded guilty. Sub-Inspector Wohlmann stated that the complainant, whose house was situated in the centre of a shrubbery, well back from j the road, had for some time reason to bei lieve that someone was trespassing by night. On Sunday his daughter went to 1 her room late, and after extinguishing the I light, threw up the window to let in the ! night breeze. Suddenly she noticed a dark I figure in ihe moonlight standing just below the Bill, watching her. At once she gave the alarm, roused the house, and the I shrubbery was searched. No intruder was I captured, but beneath the bedroom window where he was seen standing, was found a hankerchief, bearing the imprint "William Harrison." Subsequently tha accused admitted the offence to the police, stating that he had returned from Auckland by a late boat, and had gone out of his direct way home to trespass in the manner related. " Have voi anything to say," asked the magistrate.

"No, ' replied the accused. '' You are sentenced to one month's imprisonment with hard labour," rejoir ed the Bench, without comment. BEGGAR WHO OWNED £40. " This man, who was caught begging tobacco and 'the price of a binder,' in Victoria Street on Monday evening, has over £40 to his credit in the Savings Bank," said the sub-inspector in reference to Walter, Frank Freestone, who was charged with having committed the offence of begging. Evidence was called to show that the accused was seen to beg of eight pedestrians with no mean success; the ninth was a plainclothes police sergeant. Freestone said he came to town with £17 in his possession. After that had been spent and he had neither food nor bed, begging was the only course open to him. He refused to credit the statement that ho had £40 in the bank, but when convinced by the magistrate, asked to be allowed to return to his work in the country. The magistrate laid that though the accused had a very bad record ho would allow him to come up for sentence if called upon within three months, the condition being that he should !ea*-e the city forthwith.

DRUNKENNESS. Four first offenders for drunkenness were convicted and discharged.