YOUNG MAN CHARGED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 278, 24 November 1945, Page 3

YOUNG MAN CHARGED

CONVERTED SAME CAR ON THREE OCCASIONS

ASLEEP LN HOTEL ROOM WHILE SEARCH MADE Charged with converting the same car three times in succession, and with attempiing to convert another, Peter Maxwell Bosher, carpenter, aged 20, pleaded guilty when he appeared before Mr. J. H. Salmon, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court, Wanganui, yesterday, and was sentenced to three months’ imprisonmen.. He al.o admitted stealing a handbag and contents, valued at i2 ss, from the Kai Iwi Hotel on November 18. Accused was charged that on October 17, last, at Wanganui, he con. verted a car valued at £250, the property of John Tippins. Two other charges related to the same car were in respect of offences committed on October 20 and November 17. A fourth charge was that of attempting to convert a car, valued at £3OO, the property of Kenneth Jones, on November IS. Detecdve-Sergeant J. K. Robe: toll said Tippins kept his car in a garage at Wanganui East, the door of .which was locked and the ignition key removed from the ear. Accused lived in the same neighbourhood and on October 17 unscrewed the hinges of the garage door and drove the car without the key. On the first two occasions he took the car he returned it to the garage without mishap and replaced the door. On the third occasion, however, he drove the car rashly, with the re. ult that it broke down in Goat Valley. Accused abandoned the car and walked to Kai Iwi township, where he attempted to convert a car owned by Jones, but was disturbed and made his escape. The alarm was given in the township and a scrach instituted for accused, who ran into the hotel and, seeing nobody about, went up the stairs. After appropriating the handbag. which had been left by a maid at the top of the stairs, accused went into an unoccupied room and slept there during the morning. In the meantime a search was being made elsewhere. He was subsequently located by the police.

De.ective-Sergeant Robertson added that accused had not been before the Court previously. Tippin’s car, subsquentlv brought back to Wanganui, was damaged to the extent of £lO. Asked by the magis.rate if he had anything to say, accused, who was not represented by counsel, replied in the negative. “It is impossible for me to view these cases of car conversion lightly,' said the magistrate, sentencing accused. "Here are three charges of conversion and one of attempted conversion, but I shall take into consideration the youth of the accused and the fact that he ha- not been before the Court previously.” •