PICKPOCKET BANISHED

NZ Truth, Issue 976, 9 August 1924, Page 2

PICKPOCKET BANISHED

Courtney's 28 Previous Convictions Alibi Unavailing. ,

There was a glint of despair m the eyes of Frederick Courtney when he' stepped into the dock at the Wellington Supreme Court, last week, to receive sentence. Courtney, who was found guilty of the thett 6t £5 from John Singleton and with stealing a pocket book from Israel Qelhor, In the company of two other'; men, on December 19, pleaded an alibj. His wife, who had separated from him, gave evidence to the effect that on that night Courtney was having "a supper and a musical evening at her house." This was a somewhat remarkable coincidence, according to her evidence, since she had only separated from Courtney four days before this "supper and musical ovenIng" took place. Pressed by counsel as to why she remembered that evening, last year, so particularly, she stated that "she was cooking at the time and had her eyes on the clock When Courtney called." Lawyer Cornish, on behalf of the prisoner, stated that Courtney had 28 previous convictions, and that ho could only suggest that a»short period of punishment would meet the case. , Mr. Justice Reed said prisoner had barely qualified for declaration as an habitual criminal. His record and this case made a lengthy term advisable, and the sentence would be imprisonment for three years on each of the two charges, the sentences to be concurrent. i