RECEIVING DENIED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23489, 28 October 1939, Page 9

RECEIVING DENIED

JEWELLER ON: TRIAL - TWO CHARQES PREFERRED - VERDICT OF NOT GUILTY ', ~ i A manufacturing; jeweller, William Geoi-ge R a ploy, was acquitted by a jury in the Supreme . Court yesterday before .Mr. Justice Callan on : two charges of receiving stolen property . valued at £34 5s 6d from Kenneth Hugh Bennetts on. September 9 and 12.. - ■ •. ' ■' /;;" Mr. North, with him Mr. Jacka, appeared for accused, who pleaded not guilty, arid Mr. G. S. R. Meredith , represented the Crown. The Crown claimed that Bennetts, • who had pleaded guilty to the thefts,,' sold part of the stolen property; to accused, and in dointj so told him it had been stolen. The goods coil- _ cerned were a solid silver teapot, a silver-plated teapot, a silver-plated coffee pot, a wishbone brooch, two necklaces, three watches and two rings Case lor the Grown Evidence -was given by - Bennetts, who is serving-a term of imprisonment, of breaking into a home at Parnell and a jeweller's shop in the city." He claimed that-lie took silver plate and jewellery, including a * wishbone brooch and two necklaces, to accused and told him they had been stolen. Detective-Sergeant J. Trethpwcy gave evidence that when he interviewed Itaploy in company with another detective accused denied, purchasing any stolen property. When they looked over the premises they found a cardboard boxed marked in a certain way and similar to one missing from

the Parnoll homo. Accused was unable to say where the box came from. In ' another box -were found a wishbone brooch and two necklaces of the same > design as those taken from Parnell. Accused said the necklaces had been left by a strange young man whom hehad told they were of no value. Accused in Witness Box . Accused in evidence said he did not

see the cardboard box prior to tbe police drawing his attention to it and he could _ not explain how it got on the premises. The necklaces were with several others, and lie sajv no wishbone brooch. The belonged to his assistaoitf Miss Hunter. Accused also denied that he was working on the Saturday afternoon when Bennetts was alleged to have called. Merle Phyllis Hunter stated that she had had the- wishbone brooch for eight years. It had been given to her, b.v her step-mother. >1 . .. ' Accused was fotmd not guilty.