THEFT OF HANDBAG

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26543, 19 August 1947, Page 7

THEFT OF HANDBAG

MARRIED WOMAN CHARGED PLACED ON PROBATION “ The prosecution has proved the charge beyond reasonable doubt,” said Mr J. D. Willis, S.M., in the City Police Court yesterday, in directing that Sylvia Martha Hamilton Rothsay, a married woman, who had pleaded not guilty to a charge of theft, should be placed on probation for 12 months. He refused a request by counsel for suppression of the name. Beatrice Ellen Sullivan, a constable attached to the women’s division, said she had been present at a sale held in a city store on August 5. Witness saw the defendant standing at* one of the display tables in the handbag department. She watched the defendant walk through the shop and put a handbag under a rug in a pram. Witness questioned the defendant, who said that she had gone to the pram to find some money. " We have no wish to dispute the facts as given by the police, ,but we contest the interpretation of them,” said counsel, Mr R. G. Calvert. The defendant had gone to the shop with the intention of buying a shirt. The shirt counter was crowded, so she went into the bag department. After the defendant had sorted out a bag she found she had no money with her. As she wanted that particular bag, she decided to find her sister to borrow money, and she looked into her pram to see if her purse was there. All the defendant’s actions appeared suspicious, but they were explainable,” counsel declared. It was unfortunate that the constable had not delayed the arrest for a few minutes to see whether the defendant would leave the shop with the bag. She had never been in trouble before. Breach of Probation For committing a breach of their probation orders, William Leo Manson and Stewart Hugh McDermott were each fined £3 and costs (10s). Manson was also charged- with using obscene language, and for this he was convicted and fined £5. Tile prosecution stated that on December 16, 1946, the defendant Manson was convicted for an assault on the police, and McDermott was convicted for obstructing the police. Both were placed on probation for three years and ordered not to associate. On July 20, however, both defendants had been seen together by a constable, and it was alleged that Manson had used obscene language. The probation officer, Mr E. F. Mosley, said that the defendants had been warned previously for associating. Witness could report quite favourably on their general behaviour. - , , . . The magistrate warned the defendants that if they came before the court again they would be put in custody. Remand Granted A man, whose name was ordered to be suppressed in the meantime, was remanded until Monday next on a charge of using obscene language. Drunkenness A first offender was convicted and fined £1 on a charge of drunkenness.