CHARGES ADMITTED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27386, 11 May 1950, Page 4

CHARGES ADMITTED

Breaking, Entering And Theft YOUNG MAN IN COURT Thirteen charges of breaking and entering and theft, five of breaking and entering with intent to commit a crime, seven of attempted breaking and entering, three of forgery, and one of converting a motor car, valued at £385, were admitted by lan Maxwell Joseph Sidon, aged 19. a labourer, when he appeared before Mr J. D. Willis, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. The accused, who was represented by Mr W. H. Carson, was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. This is the greatest number of charges that have been brought against one person in Dunedin for many years. All except one of the breaking and entering, and attempted breaking and entering offences were committed at business premises in the city and the country. Chief Detective Hall conducted the prosecution. Evidence was given by Robert Francis Purvis, a storekeeper from Lauder, who said that his shop had been broken into on three occasions. On February 8 ho found that a bag containing £lO in money had been taken. On February 28 the sum of 4s 6d had been removed from a sale, as well as £lB 10s and a 'money order for £1 10s from a till. The shop was entered again on April 8, but only a 3d ice cream bar had been taken on that occasion.

A billiard saloon proprietor. Leslie Cat son. said the Exchange Billiard Saloon had been broken into on March 19 and approximately £lO 19s in money taken. On April 1, witness said, the place had again been visited bv an intruder but nothing had been taken. Two garage proprietors from Omakau gave evidence of their premises being entered. The sum of £l7 had been taken from one and 17s 6d from the other. Several business men in Main South road told the court about their shops being broken into and money and goods taken. Ernest Joseph Saunders, the owner of one store, said that between £lO and £l2 had been taken from a desk and £3 2s from a cash register, which had been badly damaged bv the intruder. The till, in another shop had been opened and £3 taken. Four cheques made out for sums amounting to £212 5s 7d-were taken iron, tile counting house of Harraway and Sons, flour mill owners. Green Island. This was disclosed in evidence given by the manager, Harold William Hudson. To Mr Carson, witness said that the cheques had not been' presented for payment.

Evidence that the accused had stayed at a witness’s home in Ravensbourne was given by Charles Gowland, a labourer. On March 6 witness left his cheque book at home but he did not know that any forms were missing from it until he was in Christchurch later in- the month. Three cheques, which were produced, and which were purported to have been signed by witness, were not in his handwriting. On April 12 the accused drove witness into the city in a car which witness owned. They drove to a bank in the city and witness asked the accused to wait for him. When he came out the car had disappeared. The value of the car was £385. Cross-examined by Mr Carson, witness said that during the time the accused was living with witness his behaviour in the home “ had been perfect. ’’ Except for an " incident ” in March last, when the accused stole a blanket from witnesr’s home his conduct had been good. The accused had driven witness to Christchurch in witness's car. Detective Thomas Milton Turnbull said he Interviewed the accused at the detective office, Dunedin, on April 25. Witness produced a statement alleged to have been made bv the accused. Witness said he had recovered the car concerned in the conversion charge 17 miles from Waikouaiti in the Sliver Peak ranges.