"BORROWED" MOTOR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19032, 1 June 1925, Page 11

"BORROWED" MOTOR.

YOUNG MAN'S ESCAPADE. DROVE WHEN INTOXICATED. ONE MONTH'S IMPRISONMENT. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCtt. Saturday. -At tho Magistrate's Court to-day Roderick James Parmenter, aged 24 years, pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawfully converting to his own use, but not so as to be guilty of theft, a motor-car valued at £250, and also with being intoxicated while in charge of a car. Senior-Sergeant F. Lewin said the owner of the car left it outside Dalgcty's Buildings at about 5 p.m. yesterday. Half-an-hour later bo returned to find tho car missing. Accused was seen at Addington at about 7 p.m. with the car and was seen again in the Square at about 7.30 p.m. He was sober when ho drove tho car away, but was intoxicated when he returned. No damage was done to the car. The magistrate, Mr. Widdowson, said he wished to emphasise again the gravity of offences of this kind. Apparently they wero on tho increase and if they continued to come before him he would have to mcreaso tho penalty he was imposing. in tho :-aso before him. Defendant was a young man who had been convicted of theft before. Apparently lie did not have respect for the property of other people. When he saw fit to take a car or anything else lie seemed just to take it. There had been no damage done and lie would tako that into consideration. Parmenter would be sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment on each charge, one to follow the other, or ono month in all.