LEFT HIS TRAIL

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 841, 9 December 1929, Page 11

LEFT HIS TRAIL

TRACKED BY SCATTERED COAL CONVICTED OF THEFT A trail of coal dust and pieces of coal from a dealer’s lorry to a house in Victoria Street led to the arrest of John Francis McGrath and his appearance at the Police Court this morning on a charge of theft. A fine of £2 was imposed. TFcGRATH, a labourer, aged 37, was , charged with the theft of two bags of coal and a bag of firewood, j valued at 14s, the property of Joseph Resetar, on Saturday. Mr. Adams appeared for accused and entered a plea of not guilty. Sub-Inspector McCarthy said the lorry had been left in a vacant section near where accused lived. His story was that he had bought the coal and firewood from a stranger about eight o’clock in the evening. The owner of the lorry said the goods were still on the lorry at nine o’clock, but had disappeared on Sunday. Joseph Resetar said that he had traced a trail from the coal sacks to the house where accused was living. He had then called the police. Constable Jones, corroborating the explanation given by McGrath, as the sub-inspector had detailed it, added that the man had come voluntarily to the Police Station when he heard that inquiries -were being made. “My client has been on the wrong side of the law before, but he is innocent this time,” remarked Mr. Adams. McGrath had not been out of the house on Saturday evening and had bought the coal and wood for 5s from a stranger whom he could describe no more fully than that he was thick-set and elderly. As he was suffering from a broken back and was at present receiving compensation pay, it was impossible for McGrath to carry a sack of coal. William George Edward Scobel, a fellow-boarder of accused, entered the witness box with his arm in a sling. It was impossible for him also to carry a sack of coal. Witness gave evidence of the arrival of the strange dealer who had sold his coal and wood so cheaply. Esther Merriman, landlady of the two previous witnesses, said that she had been in bed when the dealer arrived. McGrath had bought the coal and wood on her behalf and she had given him the money to pay for it. “He’s convicted,” said the magistrate. “If he didn’t steal the stuff he received it.” The sub-inspector mentioned that accused had 15 previous convictions for offences that included theft and the fine was imposed. Default of the penalty was fixed at 14 days’ imprisonment.