POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18521, 4 October 1923, Page 7

POLICE COURT NEWS.

SYSTEMATIC MEAT THEFT.

EMPLOYEE SENT TO GAOL.

A sentence of one month's imprisonment was imposed in a butcher's driver, dairies Mellis Scott,' aged; 42, who came before Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M.; in the Police Court yesterday and _ admitted stealing meat, .valued at- Bs, and attempting to steal meat, valued at £1 12s ll£d, the property of ;R- and W.• Hellaby, Ltd., by whom he had been employed. ; , Chief-Detective Cuihrnings said that, accused had been employed by the firm for about seven years, at first in the shop and later as a driver. -For : the past ■ three months he had been systematically stealing meat and selling it. 1 When filling his ; basket lie would put in extra parcels 'of , meat, sell the meat for cash' on his round, and convert the money to his own use. ; He was married and had two children, his conduct at home was not satisfactory. This' class of theft was very difficult to . detect, added the chief detective. ■ ';.;.-;■';; ;, Accused said' he had only ; taken the rneat on Fridays, and he asked for - a chance." He. would make ' restitution. - " The magistrate said that accused had taken advantage of his position .arid had stolen from his employers. .; It was not the practice to grant. probation when the offences extended over such a long period ;

TROUBLE .OVER- TRAM FARE. For attempting to evade payment of his tram fare G. L. Ensor, was fined £2 and costs, -£3 9s. -i Mr. McKay appeared for the city-tramways department. : The conductor's report showed that the defendant boarded an outward-bound tram in Queen Street, and . when - asked for his fare i said he had a pass. Subsequently to/test this statement the.., conductor" again went through the car and called for ,fares. Defendant automatically put his hand into his pocket as if * for his , fare.. On an inspector stepping on the conductor w«nt through the car ; again. Accused then offered to pay -3d, which the conductor refused. Trouble was experienced in obtaining the man's name. ;: .:;■ '■■-■■■/"■■ - "ASSAULT ON YOUNG GIRL. David Thomas McWilliam, aged 45 (Mr. Goldwater), ;; appeared on remand ,on a charge of assaulting a 14-year-old girl at her i home at Glen : Eden last Friday. Accused entered the house and interfered with the girl, who was /alone, but a attracted by her screams, intervened. Oh behalf of accused it was urged that he had never been in trouble before. This was his first lapse. / The magistrate said it was a Very bad outbreak for a first lapse. Accused was bound over in a surety of £50 to keep the peace for, a year, He was warned that next time he; would go toV prison for 12 months. ; - '/;'- : '