YOUTH ACQUITTED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22412, 7 May 1936, Page 16

YOUTH ACQUITTED

CHAEGE OF BUEGLAEY KUMEU POST OFFICE CASE A STATEMENT TO POLICE Charges of breaking and entering the Kumeti Post Office on tho night of August 17 last, and tho theft of stamps and cash to the value of £24 10s 9d were preferred against Norman Stanley Tomlin (Mr. Hall Skelton), aged 18, who appeared on trial in the Supreme Court before Mr. Justice Callan yesterday. Accused pleaded not guilty. Mr. R. Meredith appeared for tho Crown. Outlining tho caso, Mr. Meredith said that Tomlin, with threo other young men, went out from Auckland in a niotor-car after a party. On tho way it was decided that tho Kumeu Post Office should !>o broken into. This was dono by the throe others, Tomlin staying in tho car. Tho safe was brought out and placed in tho car, which was driven a short distance down tho road by accused. It was broken open and tho contents removed, and the young men then drove off homo. Mr. Meredith read a statement made by accused to the police in which he said ho had refused to go with the others while they got tho safe, and took no part in tho breaking and entering or got anything out of it. "If you are satisfied that ho was actively and consciously associated in the matter, then he is just as guilty as the others," said Mr. Meredith. "If he did not want to associate with the others, ho should have left them. The Crown suggests that he was acting as a scout, keeping the car ready for his companions to make a getaway." Evidence that the post office had been broken into and the safe removed was given by two postal employees, and Acting-Detective Aplin read accused's statement, in which ho denied taking part in the offence. Witness said that accused's three companions had pleaded guilty and had been dealt with.

Mr. Skelton called no evidence, but pointed out to the jury that the only evidence in the case was the statement accused had made to the police. It was obvious from the evidence the Crown had put forward that accused was not a party to the offence. He would not have anything to do with it. "The evidence proves conclusively the innocence of accused," added Mr. Skelton.

"If you take his statement on its face value you will find it difficult to find him guilty." said His Honor after a brief summing up. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty on both charges.