CHARGES OF THEFT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21021, 9 May 1930, Page 8

CHARGES OF THEFT

EX-CONSTABLE ON TRIAL. LARGE COLLECTION OF GOODS. - VERDICT OF NOT GUILTY. (Per United -Press , Association.) ' / ! CHRISTCHURCH,' May 8. In the Supreme Court'the trial begun to-day of Joseph' Reginald .Wilson,' ah exconstable, on'. charges of 1 theft, of goods from shops' in Chr/stchurch,'} T -.. The.. Crown Prosecutor said' possession of the, goods ; had- been tracedtoWilson in thi§ way. It was alleged, that he gave a fur ..coat to ,a girl/to whom .he was engaged.. He had; a ,disagreement •with her, and bought-itj from her'.fpr £45, Tlie girl t said . that; cutlery, was left •. at her • - place,, and-there--was sufficient-to stock : an-hotel, ’et- alone, a constable's- house.. The girl at first denied that Wilson, hud given ; her anything, , apparently wishing to shield him; but .later she handed over the-fur coat... Wilson denied, that/he .give any of ; to. ithe--girl,. but her statement r -.that .he -gave .them was con-o-borated by _her ielatives. It was an important point :-that, Wilson was a- constable at the time. - If he committed a breach of his dutyto protect the property of tradespeople;..and .used his- position -to get access .-tb; premises, it was . a very serious.matter.- .. - Gladys Myrtle. Johaimen/said that she had been engaged to-Wilson. The engagement' was,broken off,'/following; a-ijuarrel. Witness]or her-mother threatened to go , to. the superintendent about Ayilson. He brought m boat, .sayingnhat it was a wedding. present. /She bought -theTCbat -frdni him -for ’£ls. He did not' say where .he got it. ’ He faye ! her 'the frocks -and 'the box tof cutlery. ;In court she told ‘ Defectivo Sergeant Yourig'that Wilsbn'vhad'aot given her shoes or jewellery, rl. - Slje - did not tell the detective about the coat and other gifts, from WHson. , -.Sergeant'M ? Ham?ra said /that .if ,a;cdhstable found a* shop door open., he should report if. •• No-report of that l nhture" Was . made in respect to the night of February 28, .1929. /. . . , To Mr Hunter : He did not-find‘Wilson off ;his beat that bight/ A constable on beat was. timed* and Wilson , that-night wai where'he ought;; to have beep; Witness had always found Wilson a satisfactory, constable. Evidence- was. given by representatives of ' the shopkeepers concerned - that-the * goods in ;the possession ,of the police-were identical -with, goods -. which’ had 1 beqn .in • their, stocks, and which,had been.missed without, having been sold.. . - Inspector Fitzpatrick,. of Greymouth, said that on March 17 -he sawhhe accused ac Auckland and -showed , Him. the cqat and the'frocks.Wilson denied ’ having giyen- Miss ' Johansen- the articles. Witness examined accused's.place pf resideiice an? • discovered: there 1 ' a; motor.tyre; ana u lever, sharpened, ‘ ;.:.. . . ... sThe jurjl returned /after ohVhbnr’s tctJyeinwit,* ,lini)OTOeihg-'‘Yhat they were' un- - able to agree..' /;. / " ‘ ■ could not accept a disagreement until they had '' been- in retirement' for . four hours.. ■/ Hater the jury returned with ? a verdict of- not guilty on ’ all counts. ■