VERDICT AMAZED JUDGE WOINARSKI.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17647, 21 September 1925, Page 11

VERDICT AMAZED JUDGE WOINARSKI.

WOMAN ACQUITTED ON THEFT CHARGE. Judge Woinarski expressed amazeClient in the Melbourne-. Court recently when a jury returned a verdict of not guilty against a woman who was charged with theft. Jean Merritt was charged with having stolen a bag from the house of Mr? May Burton, at St. Kilda, and with having stolen a handbag from Miss Mavis Mangan, of North Fitzroy. An alternative charge of having received stolen propertv was preferred against her. The Crown Prosecutor 'Mr Ma« indeed said that on June 7 Mrs Burton found that a handbag had been taken Ir- 'in a drawer in her'bedroom. On June 25, Miss Mang&n. while attending a woman who had fainted at a dance, hacl her hand-bag. containing a five-stone diamond ring, stolen. Later the police searched Merritt's room and discovered two handbags and their contents, which were identified by Mr: Burton and Miss Mangan iespcctivcly as belonging to them. During the search Merritt slipped out cf the room and escaped, and was rearre«tcd later. In her defence, Merritt, who was not represented by counsel, said that >he bed purchased the article in Sydnev. She could not produce receipts as she had lost them, but the ring identified

; v -Miss Siangan was not a diamond ring. It. was a ring of white sapphires. The jury returned a verdict of not guilt v on all counts. Judge Woinarski: You amaze me. As the jury walked cut of Court Judge Woinarski said: I ord-r the return of the goods to the rightful ownMerntt: That ring belongs to me. Your Honor. Judge Woinarski: T am quite satis- ! t.ed that the articles were stolen and have ordered their return to their right- | tul owners. Merritt was discharged.