NIGHT OF CRIME

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21830, 19 June 1934, Page 10

NIGHT OF CRIME

TEN CHARGES ADMITTED THEFT AND ASSAULT USE OF CONVERTED CAR YOUNG MAN'S CONFESSION [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT] HAMILTON, Monday Ten charges involving offences which occurred in the Tirau and Matamata districts on the night of May 21 were admitted by George Edward Morton, aged 21, in the Hamilton Police Court to-day, before Mr. S. L. Paterson, S.M. The charges included causing actual bodily harm, breaking and entering and theft, converting a car to his own use, the theft of benzine, and dangerous driving. Samuel' John Btjar, butcher, Tirau, gave evidence that on the evening of May 21 ho found that the locks of the back door and the office door of his shop had been forced. The safe had been moved from the office to the counter. A steel and Cleaver had been stolen. Assault in Garage Francis Rose, storekeeper, Tirau, said he was passing his garage doclr sho:':!y after 9 o'clock on the night of May 21 when he heard someone in the garage. After challenging the intruder and grabbing him, witness received a blow on the head. He held on to the man and called for help. Witness said he received several more severe blows on the head. There were two men in the garage, and when they got him down on his knees one of the men said, "I told you we should have shot him in the first place." The other man replied, "Shoot him now." Witness was conscious, but felt very weak from the blows he had received. When the threat to shoot was made, witness decided to give in and he fell down limp. The men put a piece of rag in his mouth, and turned him over. Just then Mrs. Rose came on the scene and called for help, continued witness. The men ran away. Help came, and witness was taken to his house. Medical attention was necessary, and he was in bed for a week. His clothing was covered with blood after the attack. Hinuera Storekeeper's Loss Herbert Settle, storekeeper, Hinuera, said that on May 22 he found that his store had been broken open during the previous night. Groceries, tobacco, watches and other articles were missing, while 26s had been taken from the till. Witness estimated his loss at £2B. Detective A. J. White said he saw accused on May 22. In hfc possession were articles that had been taken from Settle's store. A pair of shoes found at Rose's garage at Tirau were shown to accused, who admitted they were his. The meat cleaver and steel taken from Bear's shop and found at Rose's garage were admitted by accused to have been taken by him and another man. In a long written statement accused admitted all the charges. He said he and another man spent some time in Hamilton prior to May 21. His companion spent his money freely, and. when it was exhausted, he suggested to accused that they should break into some place. Accused said he demurred, but his companion replied that he could not drive a car and he (accused) could. Accused agreed to the suggestion, and the two of them set out for Tirau. Story of the Assault After dark they broke into Bear's They left the safe on the counter and intended to return when they had procured a car, continued accused's statement. They then went to Rose's garage, and were there when Mr. Rose came along. Accused's companion spoke to Mr. Rose and, when thay grappled, the other man. struck Rose on the head several times with tho steel taken from Bear's shop. Accused said he assisted his companion to hold Rose. Two handkerchiefs were placed in Rose's mouth. The threat to shoot was a piece of bluff. They had no firearms. Mrs. Rose then, came, and accused and his companion went away, leaving their shoes behind them. Accused then related that he had taken a bicycle from one garage, and a car from another. He and his companion smashed the lock of a benzine bowser at Matamata, but were disturbed by a nightwatchman. They then went, on to Waharoa, where they stole a quantity of benzine. On their return they broke into Settle's store at Hinuera and helped themselves 'to money and goods. Chased by Police Accused said hp and his companion returned to Hamilton, where they separated. Accused took the car back to Hinuera, intending to leave it near where it was found. He was chased by the police and abandoned tho car at Karapiro, where he was shortly afterwards arrested. Detective White said that accused, when chased by the police, drove at a terrific speed, and had there been other traffic on the road there must have been an accident. The dangerous driving charge was brought with a view to obtaining an order prohibiting accused from holding a licence. Accused had previous convictions for theft, and had been released from a Borstal institution in October last. The magistrate sentenced accused to three months' imprisonment for converting a car to his own use, and for stealing an overcoat he imposed a further sentence of three months' imprisonment, the sentences to be cumulative, For converting a bicycle to his own use, a month's imprisonment was imposed. Accused was prohibited from holding a driver's licence for three years. On the remaining summary charges he was convicted and discharged. Accused pleaded guilty to the indictable charges, and was committed to the Supreme Court at Auckland for sentence.