WOMAN KLEPTOMANIAC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18763, 17 July 1924, Page 3

WOMAN KLEPTOMANIAC.

CASES OF SHOPLIFTING.

JHREE YEARS' PROBATION-

Described by counsel and medical testimony as a kleptomaniac, Mary Shand, aged fifty, appeared before Mr. H. Y. Widdowson, S.M., at the Christchuroh' Magistrate's Court last Saturday to answer charges of shoplifting, to which sha pleaded guilty and was convicted and sentenced to three years' probation.

The previous week the following theft charges were preferred against the woman:—Shoes, valued at £2 10s, from R. Hannah and Company; articles of clothing, valued at £7 lis 9d, from the D.1.C.; having, by means of false pretences, obtained possession of an umbrella, valued at £2 10s, the property of the D.I.C. The allegations were admitted. On Saturday accused was charged with having stolen:—'Two boxes of soap, tho property of the New Zealand Drapery Store; and an attache case, the property of some person or persons unknown. Senior-Sergeant Lewin, - referring to the two later charges, said the articles were found in the home of accused at Belfast. She had been found guilty of two charges of false pretences in 1921. She had then gone into a store and, representing that she was Mrs. Boyle, of Leeston, had obtained goods to the value of £21. Later sho obtained goods valued at £14, by stating that she was Mrs. J. Cameron, of Scargill. Mr. CunSngham, for the accused, saia there was no doubt that the accused 3 mentality was somewhat affected. She had charge of her seventy-year-old mother and attendance on her was more than the accused's health could stand. She could net resist the impulse of theft. She was -what could be termed a kleptomaniac. — Dr. JVL G-. Louisson said that he had examined the woman. She was distinctly mental. She was not bad enough to ba committed, but she was just on the border-line. She suffered from sleeplessness, pains in the head and bleeding from the nose. Her condition would probably be normal in about two years. _ The magistrate said he would give the accused tho benefit of the doubt that had been created in his mind. The question was whether she was a kleptomamao or not. Dr. Louisson said the probation officer had agreed that her condition was such that flhe could not resist impulses. The accused would be convicted on charge and released on probation for wirse years one of the conditions being that she should be of good behaviour, proper steps being taken to see that she was not left alone.