THEFT OF TWO LAMBS

Taranaki Daily News, 19 July 1929, Page 9

THEFT OF TWO LAMBS

THREE MEN PROVED GUILTY. By Telegraph—Press Association. Invercargill, Last Night. In the Magistrate’s Court to-day William Warnock, John Warnock and Christopher Owen Cooper pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing two lambs valued at thirty shillings each, the property of John Gunn, a farmer. Detective-Sergeant Hewitt said Gunn counted his lambs on June 7 and found the number correct. Two days later two lambs were seen to be missing. A search disclosed that two lambs had been killed and skinned in the bush. The detectivesergeant visited the Warnocks’ house at Winton. The Warnocks denied the offence but it was unfortunate for them that some chops were being fried at the time, for which they could not account. Finally, Owen Cooper admitted the offence and dug up a portion of one of the lambs from his garden. In the Warnocks’ garden another portion was found buried in a sack. The men had all made statements. One had said that while they were playing cards someone had suggested that they get a sheep. This was significant, as farmers in Winton had complained that sheep were being taken. Winton was a small place and it was not likely that there were more sheep stealers there. The men had stated that they had been drinking. Cooper was fined £lO and the Warnocks £l5 each, but on being informed that the latter had spent a week in custody the Magistrate reduced the fines to £l2 each.