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Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 641, 18 April 1929, Page 16

PAINTER AND FORGED CHEQUE MAGISTRATE LENIENT Considered by Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., to have been the tool of a criminal, Charles Leslie Green was given a chance in the Police Court this morning. M* HUNT dismissed a charge j against Green o£ obtaining, with intent to defraud, from Edward H. Pointon, £S and clothing valued at £lO 18s, by means of a valueless cheque. For Green, who is a painter, 35 years of age, Mr. Smyth entered a plea of not guilty. In evidence, Edward Pointon said that Green came into his shop and cashed a cheque. Witness took steps to find out the genuineness of the cheque and a detective told him to apprehend Green if he returned to the shop. Green came back to witness two days later and was arrested. “The cheque was a forged one,” witness told the court. Detective McWhirter said that he obtained a statement from Green on April 10. Green said that he was out of employment. He had received the cheque from a companion after they had been drinking together. Green said that the cheque looked “crook” when it was handed to him by his companion, the statement continued. Green wanted to know the details of the name on the cheque and his companion informed him that he was working under an assumed name “to dodge a girl.” Detective McWhirter said that he knew of Green’s companion. Witness said that, when he searched the accused, he found two pawn tickets bearing the names on the cheque. Detective-Sergeant Kelly stated that one man whose name was on the cheque denied that it was his. “OBVIOUSLY FORGED” Mr. Hunt: Oh, the cheque was obviously a forgery. Mr. Smyth said that Green had known his companion for many years and he had believed in the validity of the cheque. “There is no doubt that Green has been made the tool of a criminal,” Mr. Smyth said. "Green’s companion is being sought by the police, and Green really took pains to be satisfied that the cheque was genuine. This mqjn believed the criminal when he explained that he was going under an assumed name to escape a girl.” Mr. Smyth contended that there was reasonable doubt as to whether Green had guilty knowledge when he handed the cheque to Mr. Hunt: There is a point in the fact that Green returned to the shop two days after handing in the cheque. Mr. Smyth: It was not the action of i a knowingly guilty man. ! “It seems to me that this man has i certainly been the tool of a criminal,” ; Mr. Hunt said, in dismissing the charge. “Before he banded in the cheque, he had been drinking with this other man. I am not sure that I am doing the correct thing legally,

but I shall give this man a chance. In 1 my own mind, that is the right thing to I , ‘ d ;, l00k here - Mr - Smyth,” concluded Mr. Hunt, “get this man to take out a prohibition order.” done'for m Green greed U Sh ° llld be ,