WOMAN’S MISUSE OF CHEQUE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 116, 1 March 1950, Page 5

WOMAN’S MISUSE OF CHEQUE

MERCY RECOMMENDED BY JURY (P.A.) NEW PLYMOUTH, Feb. 28. “This prosecution cost the country £63 and you are ordered to pay £ls. of that amount,” said Mr Justice Smith in the Supreme Court at New Plymouth to-day when placing Claudia Mavis Richards, a married woman, on probation for a year for uttering a cheque for £2 Ss sd. The cheque which was in payment of lodge benev fits, was made out to R. J. Roberts, 20 Moles worth Street, and the Crown case was that it was wrongly delivered to 20 Hobson Street, where Mrs Richards lived with her father, A. L. Roberts, no relative, of the real addressee. There was a strong recommendation to mercy from the jury. The jury returned verdicts of not guilty to counts alleging forging of s the endorsement signature and the tlieft of the cheque or alternatively receiving it dishonestly. His Honour said the jury had taken a very considerate view of the matter. Apart—from *this trouble Mrs Richards had, a good character and it was very difficult indeed to understand why the offence occurred.