EX-CONSTABLE M'DERMOTT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 818, 16 May 1910, Page 9

EX-CONSTABLE M'DERMOTT.

ADDS PERJURY TO HIS OTHER OFFENCES. HIS SENTENCE. ..TJ" , ex-constable, William Patrick MDcrmott, alias Arthur Threlfo, who was found guilty, - on Tuesday last, upon a scries of charges of forgery and false pretences, was sentenced by "his Honour the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) on Saturday morning. Mr. R. H. Webb referred to M'Dermotts career in Australia. Ho had been in tho Civil Service as a hospital official, and had the- assistance and influence of superior officers, and of the then Aoting--1 former of New South Wales. He had been .unfortunate in domestic relations, and, after getting into trouble, ho came to hew Zealand, and joined the police force. However, the finger of accusation was pointed at him, and he was compelled to leave that service. LateT, ho obtained employment in the railway, but the same thing happened. People said, Out with him; he is not a fit man for the service," and ho was thus deprived of opportunities for rehabilitating himself. Then he lapsed, but his offences were really till one crime, and it wns a

His Honour pointed out that, had not the prisoner in a measure showed contrition by pleading guilty to some of tho charges, he might have received substantial sentence upon each of the indictments. He had gono into the witnessbox and deliberately committed perjury, and ho had brought another mail to swear falsely. . The sentence of the Court would he three years' imprisonment, with hard labour, upon each indictment, the terms to be served concurrently.

STORY OF A FOM r L-LOFT AFFAIR. IN SAGE'S LANE. A middlo-aged man, Henry Smith, was brought up on an indictment charging Him with stealing two ducks, tho property of Arthur Edward Preston, with breaking and entering an outbuilding at lrcston's premises in Sage's Lane, and ivitJi being a rogue and a vagabond, in that he was unlawfully found, by night, upon Preston's premises. Accused, when charged in tho Magistrate's Court, had elected to be tried by a jury, and was accordingly committed to tho Supremo Court.

Mr. Wilford appeared for the defence. Francis James Tucker, pork butcher, of Tory Street aud. Sago's Lane, stated that, on the night in .question, at a few minutes past midnight, Uβ heard somebody open the gate into Preston's fowlyard, adjoining. Ho went to a window, nnd saw a man endeavouring to get into Preston's fowl loft. When the police arrived, a hand was seen to throw a dead duck out of a window of tho loft on to the landing at the top of the stairs. Accused climbed out of tho window, and the constable, arresting him, said: "Hullo, Yank!" He replied: "All right, Cummings, I'll go to the station quietly." Accused was not carrying any (lucks, but another duck was found dead inside tho loft.

After the Crown caso bad closed, further evidence being given by Arthur Edward Preston (butcher, of Tory Street and Cuba Street), Thomas Parsons, Charles Henry Tucker, and Constable Cummings, Mr. Wilford called tho accused to givo evidence. Smith assorted, in tho witness box, that ho did not attempt to steal the ducks. Ho lived close by, and, on hearing tho ducks jumping excitedly against tho wire-netting covering tho windows of tho loft, ho went across to seo what was disturbing them. Ho did not seo anyono in tho loft, nor did ho know that any ducks had been found dead. On descending tho steps of the loft, he was pounced upon by Constablo Cummings. Other witnesses for the defenco were: Peter Brown (stevedore), and William M'Lpocl (labourer). Tho jury retired at 12.37, but returned in half an hour to ask permission to inspect the loft and surroundings. After having viowed tho premises, they continued their deliberations, and returned to court at 4.20 p.m. with a verdict of "Guilty," upon one v count only—that of vagrancy. Sentence was deferred until this morning.