Told Not To Make Fools Of Themselves

Chronicle (Levin), 4 February 1949, Page 3

Told Not To Make Fools Of Themselves

WELLINGTON, Eeb. 3. Witliout retiring or hearing aclclresses by coiuisel or the summing up, a jurv in the Supreme Court acquitted three voung meii 011 charges of entering a house with intent to eomruit a crime and of stealing quantitifes of grainophone rei'ords.from the house*. Ae'eused were .fohn Janssens, niotor trinimer, aged 20; Bd'i&n .fohn Janssens, labourer, aged" 18; and Giovanni Josepli Betti, labourer, aged 27. Betti ; was also charge'd with receiving from . the other. accused 12 graniophone re- j eords. . > j After liearing Mr. W. 11. Birks' opening address, Mr. Justice Cornish said: , "These three voung goats have made fools of themselves. What else is there in it? They have just been three young donkevs. " After hearing the first "wi'tness, his Honour said to the jury: "We do not want you to think that I am taking this ease out of your hands. If you see anything more serious in the ease let m e know. I think it would be a pity for a eonvic-tion to be entered against these three young nien. It might harm them in later life. I think justire has ueeu done. They have had a good fright. " *

The Judge added that the poliee harl been perfeetly justified in going iiito the inquiry. There was no critieism of the poliee. When the jury had indieated it was in agreement with his Honour, he told the aceused to stand: "You have been three young goats," the Judge said. "Iveep olf drinlc. It is no good to you. Do not make fools of yourselves any more." A pile of reeords was produeed by the poliee in evidenee. The top reeord 7n the pile was a ballad sung by someone with a pieturesque name of ' ' The Yodelling Boundary Rider. " The reeord 's title was "Crime Does Not Pay."