TRUST BETRAYED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23121, 20 August 1938, Page 2 (Supplement)

TRUST BETRAYED

BANK CASHIER'S LAPSES LIVING ABOVE MEANS COURT GIVES FULL SENTENCE Maximum sentence —six months' hard ■ labour and a £IOO fine—was imposed at Barry, in Scotland, upon a 37-year-old bank cashier who was stated to have "created a monster which had eventually crushed him." In the dock stood Edwin Pousford Bezant, of Lakeside, Barry, who pleaded guilty to embezzling a cheque for from Barclay's Bank, Limited, where he waa employed. Prosecuting. Mr. Morris Morgan declared that Bezant had been in the service of the bank since March, 1910, holding various positions, and receiving in his present position £o9o a year. The cheque had been paid in by the agent of a local firm, but Bezant had not credited the amount in the books. In a plea for leniency, Mr. C. James Hardwicke told the Court that Bezant had hitherto borne an absolutely unblemished character. In 1920 ho was at Abergavenny, and after ten years he married and was transferred to Barry, where he took an expensive house because it was the only one suitable. His living, liowevsr, had never been grossly extravagant. The trouble started about 1933 or 193*, when, being somewhat short, he started to carry one credit over for another, until finally this particular method overcame him and grew in spite of all his efforts. "This man has lived through hell liver since," stated Mr. Hardwir-ke. "He put himself in a social position he could not adequately occupy. Ho was proud of his employers and was encouraged to spend more money than he could really afford. He got a real obsession for generosity and he created - a monster which eventually crushed him. No punishment you can inflict could equal his torture of mind." Announcing the decision of the Bench, the chairman. Sir James German, declared: "I regret very much it is impossible to meet this case with a fine."