THEFT OF £215.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19161, 18 November 1927, Page 6

THEFT OF £215.

+ INSURANCE MANAGER GUILTY. A verdict of. guilty of the theft of £215 was returned in the Supreme Court yesterday in the case in whicJi William Roy Macdonald, formerly manager of the Guardian Insurance Company in Christchurch, was charged with the theft of £654 17s of the company's funds. Two hundred and fifteen pounds was the amount represented by accused's own cheques, and the jury found that Macdonald had not been guilty of any dishonesty in connexion with the other money. Macdonald will come up for sentence to-day. Mr_W. J. Hunter, for the accused, said it was clear that Macdonald had received £215, because the receipts showed it. Carll's evidence was not to be relied on, as he was an accomplice, who had also committed wrong, and he had not told the company manager in Wellington everything. He submitted that the company treated the amount of £404 17s repaid by Carl] as a civil debt. His Honour said that the jury would have to judge whether the evidence of the witness Carll was truthful. If they thought there was any reason to doubt it they should reject it. Although he had been in a subordinate position to Macdonald, he was undoubt?dly an accomplice.