MANY BURGLARIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23274, 17 February 1939, Page 16

MANY BURGLARIES

PENALTIES OF THE LAW TEN PERSONS SENTENCED MAN'S "AMAZING SERIES" DECLARED HABITUAL CRIMINAL Of 13 prisoners who came before Mr. Justice Fair for sentence in the Supreme Court yesterday no fewer than 10 had been found guilty of breaking and entering and theft. Most of these offences had .been committed in houses that were left vacant during the Christmas holidays. The Crown was icpresented by the Crown Prosecutor, Mr. V. R. Meredith, and on his application orders were made for the return of the recovered property.

"This is an amazing series of crimes for a man in your position," said liis Honor, when one of a group of six, William Ernest Hewins (Mr. Aekins), was brought before him. Hewins had pleaded guilty to 11 charges of theft from dwellings, a charge of breaking and entering a shop and theft and nine charges of breaking and entering dwellings and theft. A Burst of Crime Mr. Aekins said that Hewins was single, aged 31, and his list of convictions was gradually becoming very large. His last sentence had been one of two years' imprisonment, and after he came out in February of last year he had been steadily employed at £5 13s lOd a week. After three months he had been made foreman, and he saved up and paid a £SO deposit on .a house. In a short space he had transformed what had been a wilderness into a model home. He sold the house and lost on it. He lost his position, and then linked up with another man on one glorious burst of crime for about a month. An Orgy of Crime His Honor pointed out that the accused's conduct over a period of years had qualified him to be declared an habitual criminal. Mr. Meredith said that in this orgy of crime in which over £3OO worth of property had been stolen more than £2OO worth was still unrecovered. His Honor said that accused had had every opportunity to live an honest and respectable life. He would be committed to prison for a period of two years and declared an habitual criminal. Gardener Sent to Gaol

William Henry Wilson, a gardener, aged 28, had admitted 18 charges of breaking and entering and theft, committed between December 9 and January 3. His Honor said that crimes of this kind, continued over a period and repeated almost daily, called for a substantial sentence. Accused was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment. On behalf of Raymond William Peter Battersby, labourer, aged 28, who had admitted theft from a dwelling and two charges of receiving, Mr. Robinson said that accused had been in steady employment since Ire had been before the Court five years ago. He had played only a very minor part in these crimes. His Honor said it was impossible to grant probation where a man deliberately associated himself with the commission of three crimes. Accused would be sentenced to nine months' imprisonment on the charge of theft, and three months' in respect of each of the charges of receiving, to be concurrent with the nine months. Probation For Two Years

Another of the group, Peter James Hamblyn, labourer, aged 26, appeared for sentence on a charge of theft from a dwelling and two charges of breaking and entering and theft. His Honor said that accused had been six weeks in custody and he was prepared to suspend sentence and release him on probation for two years, with the special conditions that he take out prohibition orders against himself, that he repay the value of property stolen, amounting to £22 lis, so far as it had not been recovered, and pay the costs of prosecution, £1 15s. within six months. "You have had a bad record in the past," said His Honor to Herman Williams, aged 23. who had been proved guilty of two burglaries. "It appears that your present offences were du<» to drink, as so many of these offences are." He was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment on the one charge and to three months on the other, the two periods to he cumulative Detention for Receiving

A charge of receiving only »vns recorded against Robert Ormond Lindsay, uged 21, whom Mr. Aekins described as the youngest of the group. He said Lindsay had acted as messenger for Hewlns.

His Honor said that the trouble wac tftat while on probation the prisoner had lived a life of indolence and had ignored the warnings given him. Ho would be ordered to be detained in a Borstal institution for a period of two years.

Committed from Rotorua for breaking into a store and stealing six cases of whisky, Mervyn Valdimar Berggren was represented by Mr. S. C. Clarke, who said the offence had been committed after accused had been drinking on holiday with others from a Public Works camp. His Honor said that Berggren had a bad record. He would impose, the relatively light sentence of nine months' imprisonment in addition to the term ho was already serving for unlawful conversion of a motor-car. Maori Girl's Case

A Maori girl, Lucy Pai, aged 19 ("Mr. S. C. Clarke), having been found guilty of breaking into a house and stealing from it. was admitted to probation for two years, on condition that she remain for six months, or such lesser time as the probation officer should direct, in the Salvation Army Home in Parncll.

Two youths, David McCoombe. aged 19 (Mr. Winter), and Graeme Mason Chisholm, aged 18, appeared on associated charges of breaking and entering and theft. There were four such charge* against each of them, with a further one of theft against Chisholm and of being a rogue and vagabond against McCoombe. His Honor said he had decided to suspend sentence largely on account o! the good reputation and character ef the families concerned, and lie would release both on probation for a term of three years. Ho declined Mr. Winter's request for the suppression of the publication of McCoombe'g name.