CITY POLICE COURT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25173, 13 March 1943, Page 2

CITY POLICE COURT

Friday, March 12 (Before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M.) , Admitted to Probation Edward Henry Schlaadt appeared for sentence on a charge of receiving stolen property.—After perusing a report by the probation officer, the magistrate placed the accused on probation for 12 months and ordered restitution to be made as directed by the probation officer. Theft Angus Donoghue, who had that morning been dealt with in the Supreme Court for an indictable offence, appeared for sentence on two summary charges of theft.— Detective Sergeant Gibson mentioned that the accused had been committed to the Borstal for two years, and conviction was entered on each of the two charges. Charge of Receiving Walter William Alexander Isaac Watt (Mr O. G. Stevens) pleaded not guilty to having received from Thomas William Parry three new motor truck tyres, knowing them to have been dishonestly obtained.—Parry, who is at present serving a term of imprisonment for having stolen the tyres, gave evidence that he had sold the tyres to Watt for £45. Prior to the transaction he told the accused that the tyres were ” hot,” meaning that they had been stolen.—Harry Marsden, formerly a clerk In the employ of the Goodyear Tyre Company, gave evidence that the present value of the tyres was £97 2s 3d. In June, 1941, they were worth £l4 to £l7 each.—Detective Sergeant Le Sueur gave details of an interview with Watt in January last, and said that the accused admitted having purchased the tyres for £ls each two or three months previously, from a man he did not know but who, he was led to believe, had been in the motor business and was selling out. The tyres produced in court were found on Watt’s premises, and he maintained that when he bought them he had no »ason to believe they had been stolen.—Evidence along the lines of his statement to the police was given by the accused, who denied that he knew the meaning of the

word “hot.” He had not. he said, heard the word until that day, He admitted that he knew it was wrong for him to buy the tyres without first having ob.tained a permit, as required by the Tyres and Tubes Control Emergency Regulations.—After hearing counsel’s submission that there was no case to answer, the magistrate held that a prima facie case had been made out, and committed the accused to the Supreme Court for trial. Bail was allowed in the accused’s own recognisance of £IOO and one surety of a like amount.