THEFT CHARGES

Southland Times, Issue 23026, 21 October 1936, Page 12

THEFT CHARGES

MEN AND WOMEN PLEAD GUILTY (United Press Association.) Christchurch, October 20. “This crowd set out on a systematic thieving expedition extending over \ fairly considerable period,” said Chief Detective Dunlop in the Magistrate’s Court this morning, when three men and two women faced a series of theft charges. The accused were: William Ambrose Ford, aged 26, William Sidney Terris, aged 26, William John Gwatkin, aged 30, Eileen May Gwatkin, his wife, and Eunice Beryl Greatbatch, married, aged 22. Ford was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment with hard labour and Terris to six months. Greatbatch was remanded, pending the probation officer’s report. Gwatkin was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment with hard labour. His wife was ordered to come up for sentence within six months if called upon, and the others were convicted and discharged. All the accused pleaded guilty. The thefts related to carpenters tools taken from jobs and crockery taken from houses. Counsel said that Mrs Gwatkin, whose age was 27, had been married nine years and had eight children, the last of which was born five weeks ago.