SENTENCE DEFERRED.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20643, 15 February 1929, Page 10

SENTENCE DEFERRED.

PRISONER TO BE MARRIED (Special to Daily .Times.) AUCKLAND, February 14. An element of romance was added to a criminal trial in the Supreme Court to-day when counsel for a man who had been convicted of receiving stolen goods asked that sentence should be deferred to enable the man to be married. His fiancee is a young woman who gave evidence on his behalf.

The accused was James A. W. Fleming, aged 28, who was charged with breaking into the workshop of George Wakelin and stealing an overcoat, a gramophone, a suitcase, and other goods, valued at £ls. In the witness box the accused’s fiancee said they were together at the theatre at the time the accused was alleged to have entered the workshop. The jury found the accused guilty of receiving stolen goods. ' At this stage ’counsel 1 suggested that his Honor should defer the sentencing of the prisoner until arrangements could be carried out. for his marriage. Mr Justice Blair said the .prisoner had pretty nearly qualified for an indeterminate sentence—in fact, it wns not certain that he was not actus fy qualified already by past sentences ~.r theft and breaking and entering. It appeared that he came to New Zealand in 1924 or 1925, and since 1926 he had given himself up largely to a career of crime.

Sentence was deferred until tomorrow.