THEFT OF MOTOR-CAR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21932, 16 October 1934, Page 12

THEFT OF MOTOR-CAR

LABOURER SENTENCED REFORMATIVE DETENTION Having pleaded guilty to n, charge of stealing a motor-car, a charge of forgery, and three charges of uttering forged documents, Thomas Boyle Dennis, labourer, aged 31, came before Mr. Justice Ostler for sentence in the Supreme Court yesterday. Mr. Henry, wlio appeared for prisoner, said he had not boon in trouble since 1926, when ho received two years' reformative detention. He had a clean record with the exception of a minor attempted theft in 1930, for which he was fined £lO. Ho had been unsuccessful in a search for work, and became associated with other persons and presented false orders on their behalf. Prisoner conceived the idea of taking a car to go looking for work in the country. He drove to Gisborne and back to Rotorua, and obtained a permanent position in a mill there, but unfortunately was arrested the next day. He had made a full confession, and given the police every assistance. "You have not got a clean record," said His Honor, "and this theft of motor-cars is a very prevalent offence. It does great harm to the owners of motor-cars. The cars aro generally ruined by the ill-usage tlicy get. It seems to me that in tbe public interest I must inflict a sentence which will be. a deterrent in cases of this sort. The sentence of the Court will be that you be detained for reformative treatment for a period not exceeding 18 months."