MONEY STOLEN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23620, 2 April 1940, Page 10

MONEY STOLEN

TWO MEN SENTENCED COUNTRY VISITORS DUPED 'FIVE MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT getting hold of,'young men from the country and fleecing them by means of a specious confidence trick," said De-tective-Sergeant Walsh in the Police Court yesterday, when James Leonard Thurlow, aged 24, a truck driver, and Alexander Wallace Copley, aged 41, a salesman, were jointly charged with stealing £l2 in money from William Dudley Hennessy. Thurlow was also charged with stealing £3 in money from Leslie So well. Mr. Aekius represented Thurlow and Mr. H. Skelton represented Copley. Please of guilty were entered to the offences, which were committed on March 23. Statements to Police Detective Roddick produced a statement signed by Thurlow, saying that he introduced Hennessy to a mfin whom he told him was Mr. Jamieson, a racehorse trainer. Accused knew that the man was not a trainer. They went to a hotol and -persuaded Hennessy to give them £l2 to put on a horse. Accused said he had no intention of returning any of the money to Hennessy. Accused left the hotel in company with Sewell, a companion of Hennessy's, and obtained £3 from him, alleging that he would put it on a horse. He kept the money for his personal use. A statement signed by Copley, produced by Detective Poddick, identified himself as the man Jamieson. Both accused elected to be dealt with summarily. I "Both accused are well known to the police," said Mr. Walsh. "They can only bo regarded as birds of prey who thrive on the cupidity of strangers. They haunt likely places about the entrance to the city, always on the lookout for victims. Bridegroom and Best Man "It is difficult to imagine meaner thefts than those. Hennessy was in town for his wedding and Sewell was his best man," said Mr. Walsh, who added that Copley had 16 previous convictions and Thurlow had 17 convictions. Mr. Skelton said that all involved were drunk at the time of the offences. People who were foolish enough to listen to a "cock and bull" story did not deserve the least sympathy. Mr. Aelvins said that it had been Thurlow's intention to enlist on the day on which the offences were committed. Mr. J. Morling, S.M., said the two men really required a long term of reformative treatment, but instead they would be sentenced to five months' imprisonment.