BADCOCK CONVICTED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19086, 3 August 1925, Page 10

BADCOCK CONVICTED.

CRICKET COACH'S DEBTS. RECOMMENDED TO LENIENCY. JURY CONSIDERS HIS YOUTH. [BX TELEGRATH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, Sunday. A verdict of guilty on ono count, that of bringing about his bankruptcy by extravagance, was returned by the jury yesterday against Frederick Theodore Badcock, formerly coach to the Wellington Cricket Assocation. The jury added a recommendation to mercy on account of tho prisoner's youth. Continuing his evidence Badcock stated that ho had expectations from his father but it was not upon theso ho relied so much to pay his debts as upon tho money he would receive for coaching in Wellington. In regard to his liquor bill of £4O ho said the majority of this expense was for tho entertainment of visitors. Ho also owed £2O at the Grand Hotel which, if ho had had time, ho would havo paid. In regard to tho account at the Simla Bank, Mr. Cornish, for the defence, suggested that Badcock might havo money there, Mr. Justice Ostler: Havo you any money in the bank at Simla? Witness: To the best of my belief, yes. His Honor: How much ? Witness: Approximately £3OO. That was money put in tho bank about 1920 by my father. His Honor: You knew this money was put to your credit and you caino away from India and left it there ? Witness: i could not help that as tho bank had gone into liquidation. Belief in Good Faith. Cross-examined by Mr. Macassoy, for tho Crown, accused said he believed that the Cricket Association would find him a position when tho cricket season was over but ho did not ask them to find him one. Mr. Macassoy: How did you run np theso bills to a total of £6s) ? Witness: Tho greater part of the season was to come. Herbert McGirr, sports depot proprietor and a member of the Management Committee of the Wellington Cricket Association, said that Badcock was the best coach he had ever seen and had the ability of imparting knowledge to young players. He considered there was a market in New.rZealand from which Badcock could draw fees. Witness said he got Badcock five to seven boys at 10s an hour and could havo got him 17 or 18 bovs this .year. To Mr. Macassey witness said that he had not yet been paid for material which Badcock had obtained from him. " I did not prove in tho bankruptcy because all said and dono ho was a cricketer I liko myself and I had found him a companionable fellow," said witness, who added that ho still thought Badcock would pay him for tho cricket material. Similar evidence was given by Thomas Buck, of the Cricket Association, who said that everything in tho way of finance controlled by Badcock in regard to the obtaining of supplies was satisfactory. Charles G. Wilson, chairman of the Wellington Cricket Association, said Badcock could reasonably have expected to make about £660 a year. A "Lionised" Man. Mr. Cornish, addressing tho jury, sketched a picture of the allurements to purchase offering to a lionised man liko Badcock, who had realised too late that ho was living in a fool's paradise.His prospects were admittedly such that ho could have made £BOO a year. Mr. Macassey submitted that far from being badgered by his creditors Badcock had every opportunity of meeting reasonable debt 3. What ho could have earned did not matter, but what he did earn compared with tho debts he had contracted did. It was clear that Badcock had no money as alleged in the bank in India. His Honor, summing up, said that there were two charges, ono of contracting debts Without reasonable expectation of payment and one of having by extravagance brought about his bankruptcy. The bankrupt incurred £214 10s a month of debts while he earned £25 a month, so that his expenditure was eight times his earnings. Even if ho had earned all he said The had anticipated it would not have exceeded one-third of his monthly expenditure. Liquor consumption lalono would account for his salary from the Cricket Association. If ho had expected an income of £7OO a year to fall into his lap liko a ripo plum without looking for jt he should have told his creditors so, hut at the creditors' meeting ho had spokon of £6OO .cash in a bank which Badcock had, kindly to himself, admitted was an " exaggeration." Tho jury returned a verdict of not guilty on tho first count but guilty on tho second with a recommendation to leniency on account of tho prisoner's youth. , His Honor said ho would dlofer sentence till Monday, An application for bail was refused.