CITY POLICE COURT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23080, 5 January 1937, Page 2

CITY POLICE COURT

Monday, January 4 (Before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M.) DRUNKENNESS Arthur Alwyn Nicholson, who had previously pleaded not guilty to a charge of drunkenness, changed his plea to one of guilty.—Senior Sergeant Packer said that the defendant was in his own motor car, although he was not driving it, when it ran through two fences, broke down a third and 5 struck a house. Four women witnesses of the accident were certain that the defendant was not the driver at the time.—The defendant was fined 10s. in default 24 hours' imprisonment. Alfred Grogan, a statutory first offender for drunkenness, was convicted and discharged, and William Bolton, who was also a statutory first offender, was fined 20s, in default 24 hours' imprisonment. INTOXICATED MOTORIST George Booth (Mr A. G. Neill) pleaded guilty to a charge of being intoxicated in charge of a motor vehicle on the Anderson's Bay road. —Senior Sergeant Packer said that at 6.30 p.m. on December 31 the accused was driving along the Anderson's Bay road when Inspector Cameron noticed him driving erratically and stopped him. He was in a drunken condition, and Dr Barnett had no difficulty in certifying as to his condition.—Mr Neill said that the accused was a milk vendor, a business which he had carried on during the past 20 years, and had not been in any trouble before. His day's work was a very hard one, for he commenced at 2.30 a.m. and finished at 5 p.m. On New Year's Eve he went into the city and had three glasses of wine, which no doubt affected him considerably, as he was suffering from a bad nervous condition. He had travelled only a short distance along the Anderson's Bay road when Inspector Cameron saw him. In view of the fact that no actual damage had been done, that he had never been in any trouble before, and that any penalty imposed on him would inflict severe hardship, Mr Neill asked that thecourt should consider the question of admitting the accused to probation.—The magistrate said that the man had previously borne a good character, but that the court had to take into consideration the interests of the public. The accused would be fined £lO with medical expenses (£1 Is), his licence would be suspended, and he would be prohibited from driving for a period of three months. It was in the accused's own interests that such a period of prohibition should be imposed. TWO MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT

Lloyd Thomas Sims pleaded guilty to charges of being intoxicated in charge of a motor car on December 28, with being an unlicensed driver, and with unlawfully converting to his own use a motor car valued at £3OO, the property of Charles Parnell.—Senior Sergeant Packer said that a man left his motor car in front of the Commercial Travellers' Club in Dunedin about 6.10 p.m. on December 28, and the accused came along, saw that the :ar had the ignition key in it, and drove it to Port Chalmers. He had been drinking, and when he got to Port Chalmers he turned on to the Blueskin road, but when he reached the monument the car-got out of control and rolled down the hill on to a ploughed paddock. The accused, who was only slightly injured on the head, got out of the wrecked car and ran away, but was seen by some people, who told the police. The accused was arrested as he entered Port Chalmers, and when questioned said that his injury had been caused by a blow which he had received from an unknown man in the street. Questioned further he stated that he had come from Dunedin with another man in the latter's car, and there had been an accident. It was not until he was brought to Dunedin that he admitted having taken the car. The intoxication charge was only a borderline case, but the conversion charge was a serious one as the owner of the car would not be able to obtain any insurance.—Mr D. Simpson said that the accused had beenl drinking in town during the day and had met a friend who said he was going to Port Chalmers in the evening. "The accused arranged to go with him, but later missed him, and took the car from the place in which it was parked. The affair could be characterised as a drunken escapade. The accused had been unemployed for a period and had too much time on his hands. His family affairs were unfortunate, in that his father was in hospital and his mother was dependant on him. He had been in custody for a week, and now fully realised the gravity of his offence. He was prepared to take out a prohibition order.—The magistrate said that a good many motorists, who left their cars unlocked, could not absolve themselves from a certain amount of blame when their cars were stolen. This case, however, was not one on which he could grant probation. On the conversion charge the accused would be sentenced to two months' imprisonment, and on the charge of being intoxicated while driving a motor car he would be convicted and ordered to pay medical expenses (£1 Is), in default 48 hours' imprisonment. On the third charge he would be convicted and discharged.