Woman Shoplifter Collapses in Dock

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1043, 6 August 1930, Page 1

Woman Shoplifter Collapses in Dock

“NO MEMORY OF THEFTS” FINED £5 AND WARNED Mrs. Sarah Purdy Hall collapsed in a faint on the floor of the Police Court today when she faced two charges of shoplifting. She was fined £5 by Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., and warned that she would get no second chance. XTALL was charged with stealing three serviettes valued at 2s 3d and one cushion cover valued at 6s 3d, the property of a City drapery firm, on August 1. She faced a second charge of stealing women’s underclothing valued at 19s 6d,' the property o£ Rendells, Ltd., Karangahape Hoad, on the same date. "In view of accused’s state of health. I will enter a plea of not guilty,” said Mr. Cocker, who appeared for Hall. “Medical evidence can be called to show that she did not know what she was doing.” Sub-Inspector Shanahan said that from what had been found in accused’s bag it would seem that she had been picking up things indiscriminately. “I will admit that the goods were found in her possession,” said Mr. Cocker. At 4.50 p.m. on August 1, the manager of one firm had seen accused putting goods into her bag, said the sub-inspector. She had been detained and had admitted the theft. Other goods which were found in her possession she said she had bought, but they were later identified as having been taken from another firm. UNWRAPPED ARTICLES "There was a number of small articles, too,” continued the sub-in-spector. “They were unwrapped and it did not look as though she had been shopping in the ordinary way. She is a widow and has not been in trouble before.” Mr. Cocker said accused had mo memory of the thefts and the nature of the goods showed that she could not have been in her right senses. "What use would a packet of safetyrazor blades found in her bag be to a woman?” asked counsel. “Only recently I had a man up here who stole lip-salve,” said Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M. Dr. Mackay said accused had been under his care since November. “She has been under about seven doctors, to my knowledge,” said witness. “She is a confirmed neurasthenic and her mental condition is not normal. In my opinion she would not know what she was doing. She is also at an age when such symptoms are common.” NOT RESPONSIBLE?

Mr. Hunt: So every woman of 50 who is a shoplifter is not responsible for her actions? Mr. Cocker said Hall was a widow in receipt of a military pension of £2 os a week. She lived with her sister on the North Shore. It was a difficult case and counsel asked for an adjournment in the meanwhile. “I sent a woman away for 21 days not long ago,” said Mr. Hunt. “That stopped shoplifting for a time.” Mr. Hunt then adjourned the case for five minutes while he dealt with another shoplifter. Mrs. Hall suddenly collapsed in a faint, falling forward from her chair to the floor of the court. She was assisted back to her chair. The case was then resumed. “Well, I won’t sentence her to seven days.” said the magistrate. “She will be lined £5 on the first charge and convicted and discharged on the other count. I hope her relatives will look after her. There will be no second chance if she comes up again.” Accused had to be supported as she left the court.