CAUGHT RED-HANDED

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 235, 23 December 1927, Page 3

CAUGHT RED-HANDED

INTERNATIONAL THIEF PICKED MAN’S POCKET AT NEW BRIGHTON (Special to THE SUN:) CHRISTCHURCH, Thursday. Caught red-handed at the New Brighton Trotting Club’s meeting last week, James O’Brien, aged 66, a pickpocket with an International record, appeared in the Police Court to-day before Mr. H. A. Young, S.M. He pleaded guilty to two charges that were preferred against him, attending races while prohibited and with stealing two ten-shilling notes from James Samuel Horne. Senior-Sergeant Fitzpatrick said when O’Brien was arrested he practically admitted his guilt. Giving evidence, Horne said he was standing against the fence of the enclosure during the progress of the third race. O’Brien came up and put his left hand underneath witness’ arm and jammed him up against the fence. Witness felt something at his hippocket and putting his hand in he found that two 10s notes had gone. O’Brien was then standing ten feet or twelve feet away, and witness accused him of taking the money. A bystander said: “Cough up, I saw what you did.” O’Brien then said: “I won’t rook you,” and handed the money back, asking witness to let it drop at that. However, a constable came along and witness told him about the affair. O’Brien was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Dealing with the trespass charge the magistrate said O’Brien had been convicted in Johannesburg, South Africa and in all the States of Australia except South Australia, and also in New Zealand, of theft or attempted theft from the person. He would not come up in the Supreme Court before the beginning of February, so he would be fined £lO, in default six weeks’ imprisonment, for trespassing on a racecourse. That would keep him at work until the theft charge was heard in the Supreme Court.