STORY DOUBTED

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 977, 21 May 1930, Page 12

STORY DOUBTED

THEFT OF GRAMOPHONE DENIED SIX MONTHS’ GAOL According to the evidence, John Thomas Brown had entry to the house from which a gramophone was stolen recently. He also cashed the cheque given by a dealer when the machine was sold. Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M.. refused to believe Brown’s assertions of innocence and the mail was sentenced at the Police Court this morning to six months’ imprisonment. Brown, alias Butler, a labourer aged 25, pleaded not guilty, through Mr. Smyth, to the theft of a gramophone ancl two records, valued at £l4 8s and belonging to Conrad Beazley, on February 13. Brown was also charged with a breach of his probation, Mr. Smyth admitting that he had not reported. Counsel explained that accused was under the impression that his term had expired. Nancy Spain, a shop assistant, said she was living in Beazley’s house. Brown had visited there and knew the run of the house. Witness, after missing the machine, had seen it in the shop of a dealer named Moller. According to Victor Moller, a gramophone dealer, he had bought the gramophone from a man who said he wished to pay up his union fees so that he could go to sea as a fireman. Witness had given a cheque for £5. He had been unable to identify accused ns the man who had sdld him the gramophone when an identification parade had been held, but thought he recognised him as he stood in the clock.

Leonard McConnell, a shop assistant. in a Queen Street store, said he had cashed Moller’s cheque for £5 which v’as presented by accused. Brown’s story was that he knew nothing of the theft. He had been given the cheque by a man named Priestly “a chap with a bad reputation.” Mr. Smyth stressed the point that Moller had been unable to recognise accused at the parade. Brown said he had been given £1 for cashing the cheque. He admitted having previous convictions.

On the breach of probation charge accused was ordered to come up for sentence if called upon.