FORGED DIPLOMA
MAN POSED AS DOCTOR YOUNG COMPANY MANAGER SIX MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT EMBEZZLEMENT IN AUSTRALIA [BV TELEGRAPH —IMtKSS association] WELLINGTON, Thursday Tlio view that ho could not pass lightly over the offence to which the prisoner had pleaded guilty was taken by Mr. Justice Reed when he imposed six months' imprisonment with hard labour on Albert Fergus Stanley Hickey, aged 28, former insurance company manager, on a charge of attempted uttering of a forged document —namely, a certificate to the effect that ho had completed certain medical studies and qualified for certain medical degrees. Mr. Justice Reed said it appeared from inquiries made in Melbourne that while the prisoner was employed in an insurance office in Australia before coming to New Zealand he embezzled over a period of six years the sum of £GOOO. He was not prosecuted for that and promised to refund the money. It appeared that in some circumstances Hickey was absolutely irresponsible in his actions, and that he did thing? quite regardless of what the consequences might be. "Some Streak of Vanity" Mr. Perry, for the prisoner, said that lie had made restitution of £.'isoo in hard cash of ihe money he had taken in Australia, and assets transferred by him had lieen accepted in full settlement of the balance. Counsel pointed out that no one had been injured as a result of the offence for which Hickey was before the Court Numbers of prominent men had approached him asking whether there was anything they could do for Hickey, because they said he was one of the finest and most unselfish men they knew. Counsel submitted that there was no criminal instinct or tendency iri Hickey. Counsel suggested that his representing himself as a doctor was the result of some streak of vanity. The Crown Prosecutor said it was true that Hickey had not practised as a doctor in the sense that he attempted to treat people. • "Campaign of Lying" The Judge reminded the prisoner that when the Health Department made inquiries from him there was an opportunity to drop the title of doctor, but instead he embarked on a campaign of lying. Subsequently ho had gone out of his way to forge a statement purporting to be from the registrar of the Melbourne University. If he had been an illiterate, uneducated man, ono could have given him some consideration, but that was not the position. The Judge referred to the embezzlement in Australia, and went on to say that he did not propose to impose a heavy penalty. "1 can recognise that probably your life work is ruined to a certain extent," said His Honor, "but at the same time it must be made clear by the sentence that the matter of forgery of a document such as you forged in this case cannot lightly ho passed over."
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Bibliographic details
New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22794, 30 July 1937, Page 13
Word Count
473FORGED DIPLOMA New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22794, 30 July 1937, Page 13
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