Missing Bridegroom Given Gaol Sentence

Chronicle (Levin), 23 February 1949, Page 7

Missing Bridegroom Given Gaol Sentence

• - ..j • Tlie missing bridegroom of Feilding, Thomas Go¥ei', was yest^rday sentenced to three months ' iinprisonment by Mr. A. Coleman, S.M., at the' Feilding Magistrate's Court on-a charge oi - ) tnaking a false declaration for the purpose of procuring the registrar 's-certili-cate under the Marriage Aet by falsely declaring himself as a baehelor. Prosecuting Bergt. A^ M. Harding s'aid that bn January 28 last-' acciiseU in appiying for a certilicate of inarriage described hiniseif as being 27 years of age and" a bacUeior. Having done tins accused made arrangements foi the wedding but failetl to appear a! the cliurch on' due date. On the day iollowmg that ffxed for the wedding accused wrote to the poiice confessing that he was a iiiarned nian and that was tlie reason why he had not ap peared'.at the cliurch. Accused returneo from overseas after service . with the i'orces in 19J4 and in 1945 married a! Wellington but was now separateu under a mutuaJ agreement. Hoinu twelvx months ago he came to Feilding ani. throughout the period when prelimin ar.y arrangements were being made fOi .the wedding, he led the woman con cerned. to. believe that he was a singhnian. He had stated that he was ilnder the inffuence of druik when he appheu for the marriage certilicate but thu poiice. believed- that accused had. been fuily aware of what he was doingJ (Jover was at present serving a 111011th 's gaol t'pr .the conversion of a mutor cai at Levin. He was an unstable type with a iist of previous convictions. Accused, ivho pleaded guilty, Saiu from the dock that 011 his relurn from overseas 1ns oue wisli was to 111a rr> and settle doWn but he only had that for nine months wlien he parted f'rou. his wife. He became depressed anu took to drinking but later resolved to tane a career 111 Ihe Anny and en1 roiled for the J Force. ILowever, as ; soon as Ihe Ariny found out sometliing : of his rocent history he was put 0111 ; and this put hiin ' ' down in the dumps ' properly. L'ouiing to Feilding he met the' brothers of 'tlie girl concemeu. ] iiving at their home. Later he became friendiy with oue oi the girls and loor her to a dance. He was sorry i'0.1 vvhat he had done iind was agreeabit to taking out a prohibitiou order- antl | had iu rnind gettiug a divorce auu | niaKing amends. | The Magistrute did not know j \vkether vvhat : accused- had said was I true or iiot and *he qnestiOned w'hethoi j (jover' woliid' get" a 'divorce.' The ob iVious tliing i'oi accused to have dotn ■ vvheu he found himself in the position ihe was, was fo'hav5e left the house anu l departqd. fi;oni Feilding, llefernng to Gover'fs ' 1 ! lis}t, y' . the . Mggistrate ob served that liia troubles conimenced be fore the war and he had been con victed ,f,or various offences. You acted .11 a very c^uel, vyay . as,,far as the gin was concewicd , a,nd 1 ,,.,wunt(Tto point vhi| ; out . lp you, Gpver, that in making rexcuses it,-.wpujd have been bette.r not to ha\ e^sought . ty-get out - of your : present trouble . by blgckening thu j'haracter of this uufortuuate girl." Aecused was •sentenced to three months iinprisonment.