CITY POLICE COURT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22432, 29 November 1934, Page 2

CITY POLICE COURT

Wednesday, November 28. (Before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S-M.) ADMITTED TO PROBATION. Victor Cook appeared for seni.ence, having previously pleaded guilty to unlawful conversion of a motor cycle, valued at £45, and the theft of a cycle, valued at £s.—Mr C. A. Hamer, who represented the accused,, stated that the latter was not of a criminal type. Since leaving school he had been engaged in tarm work, and during the last three months he had been working away from home. It was significant that his lapses hadboth occurred during that period, and in view of this, and the fact that he had an opportunity of going back to farm work counsel asked that the court might deal with him as leniently as possible.—The magistrate said that the accused had already been in prison for a week on remand, and would, therefore, have a realisation of what imprisonment meant. However, he was just a youth, and would, therefore, be given a chance of making good. On the first charge he would be admitted to probation for two years, a special condition being that during that period any ownership and use by him of motor vehicles should be under the control of the probation, officer. -On the other charge a conviction would be entered. . CAR THIEVES SENTENCED. James Huia Henderson and D'Arcy Joseph Steele pleaded guilty to having unlawfully converted to their .own use a motor car, valued at £450, the property of John Trengrove, and to having wilfully damaged to the extent of f2 two motor garage doors belonging to the complainant.—Chief Detective Young stated that the complainant had a garage in Dowling street containing two cars —a Buick and a Riley. On the previous evening he had taken the Buick out, leaving the garage doors closed, but not locked. Later, as he was driving up Dowling street, he noticed that, thp doors, which were difficult to open unless one understood them, had been forced open, and on going in he found the two accused interfering with the Riley. He detained Henderson until the police arrived, but Steele ran away, and was not apprehended until later in the evening. Both had had liquor, and it was obvious that in the condition they were in it would have been highly dangerous had they got out on the road with a highpowered car like the Riley. In the circumstances, it was fortunate that Mr Trengrove discovered them before they got away. Steele, who' was the principal culprit, had a bad list, and was at present on license from; Borstal, and Henderson had also been before the court. —The magistrate said that the accused had been guilty of a flagrant and deliberate attempt to convert a car, and it was indeed fortunate that the owner had discovered them when he did. Otherwise, as pointed out by the chief detective, their act might have been attended by serious consequences. Henderson, on the first charge, would be sentenced to two months' imprisonment. Steele, although only 19 years of age, had a bad record, and lie would be admitted to Borstal for 12 months, to commence at the end of the term he was at present serving. A conviction would oe entered in each case on the other charge.