YOUTHS IN GAOL FOR CONVERSION OF VEHICLES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 16, Issue 9, 18 October 1950, Page 5

YOUTHS IN GAOL FOR CONVERSION OF VEHICLES

Two Whakatane youths are in prison for motor vehicle conversion. They appeared before Mrs D. Petty and Mr J. Rutherford, J’s P., on Monday.

Alfred Thompson, apprentice mechanic, 18, was charged with the unlawful conversion of a truck valued at £950 and a car valued at £265, both the property of Brabant Brothers Ltd. Clifford Marshall, hospital porter, 19, faced a similar charge with respect to the truck. Both pleaded guilty and elected to be dealt with summarily.

Thompson was an employee of Brabant Brothers Ltd, stated Sen-ior-Sergeant Fuller. On Friday night, at 9 o’clock, he took the car from Brabant’s garage and, with Marshall, went to Te Teko. They were going to Ruatoki to a dance when the car broke down. Thompson went back to town" by taxi and brought back the truck. Marshall by then was aware that the car was converted but, when the car was being towed, he steered it. With the car returned the youths drove round the town in the truck and were seen by the night-watchman. The Senior T Sergeant described how Constable R. F. Julian had caught the accused. Once apprehended, the boys had helped to clear matters up, he said. Thompson had previous convictions and was oh licence from Borstal.

Marshall had one previous conviction. i

Thompson was the main offender,

Thompson was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment for the conversion of the truck and was convicted and discharged on the other charge. Marshall was sentenced to two weeks in gaol.