“FALSE PRETENCES ARTIST”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23830, 9 June 1939, Page 16

“FALSE PRETENCES ARTIST”

VALUELESS CHEQUES CASHED A TERM OF IMPRISONMENT (Feb United Press; Association) CHRISTCHURCH, June 8. Described by .police as “ simply. and purely: a;, > raise t- pretences artist, witb''aplausible •• and confident' ■ manner,”’ , Robert Thomas labourer, aged 59, of no fixed abode, was sen- ; tenced to 18 months’ imprisonment, with hard .labouri-by vey, of the false presentation of •cheques to . a total of, various ? city banks ;?, were; ,• admitted by Roberts,'? arid,... on,;<each of three charges seritenced to six months’ imprisonment, with hard labour, the sentences to be curpu- illative. ■ Detective -Sergeant Sinclair-said Roberts had obtained goods valued i at. £ 10'16s 2d arid money amount- i' ing to £43 3s 10d.- The goods cp.Uld not? returned’ito • and( the abcysed^^^b#^f|f^b en ;f arrested. ' ’ : t “Since 1917,,Roberts has had 54 i charges of, false, pretences preferred j •against him*’and he has served gaol sentences totalling 12 years and | a-half as well as a period .of re- | formative detention- He is. simply and purely a false ; pretences:anist ( ■; with a very plarisible and confident manner,” added Detective Sergeant Sinclair. . ~ “ One thing I have to do is to stop you from preying on the public, ' said the magistrate, in passing sentence. Op the remaining five charges RobrirtS was; 'Convicted and discharged.