SUPREME COURT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 265, 5 August 1919, Page 2

SUPREME COURT

CRIMINAL SESSIONS

LONGER CHARGE LIST THAN USUAL T.lio criminal sessions of the Supreme Court wero opened yesterday morning beforo His. Honour Mr. Justice Stringer. The following were empanelled as the Grand Jury;— Messrs. A. E. Jiabin(foreman), F. Meredith, C. A. .Marquis, W. Mackay, E. T. Porter, V. Irving. A. 0. f.each, T. H. Meadowy, R. Malfroy, F. JI. Reilly, J. F. Redmond G. J. Reid, F. Black, D. K. Blair, R. Brewer, Samuel C. Baron, D. E. Wilkin, A. B. Williams, W. E. Snutlnvick, J. A. Stewart, H. R. Searle, and 11. Douglas.

In addressing tlio Grand Jury, His Honour said thero were some twelve case.? on tho calendar:.six of these were crimes involving dishonesty, four of sexual offences. 0110 of assault, and one of perjury. Ho thought they would Jiave 110 difficulty in arriving at their findings. His Honour then referred at some length lo fclio several cases, giving the salient features of- eacli. The Grand Jurv returned true bills against Patrick Charlton M'Gill. theft; Julian Huggins, indecent assault on a male; Stephen Fisher, John Perry, Herbert Phillip Pettit, Percy Albert Aiding. Ernest Adams, and- Ernest Beech, theft; Joseph Martin Gillesnie. assault, causing actual bodily harm: Horace Benjamin Martin, unnatural offence; William Fenton. and Bert Aiding, breaking and entering with intent; Harold Albert Peart, two charges of theft; James Whiliw?, unnatui;al offence; Lauronce J. Malonoy, breaking and entering with intent; Roy Albert Delanev, rape 011 a little girl; Thomas Edward Evan and El'en Rvan, theft. No bill was found in i!he case of Ernest Hadley, charged with perjury.

CHARGE/ OF T.HEFT. Patrick Charlton M'Gill, for whom Mr. P. W. Jackson appeared, pleaded not. enilty to a charge of theft of a handbag. . Mr. P. S. K. Macassey, of tho Crown Law Office, appeared for tho Crown. Jlr. Thomas M'Nco was foreman of the jury. The evidence given was the. same as that tendered in the Magistrate's Court. Petonc. The facts were that Mrs. Mary Isherwood and party' arrived at Po.tone in a motor-car from Wellington on May 5, and stopped opposite the Grand; National Hotel. Some members of the party went into tho hotel, where tlie.v met the accused. The latter followed them out, and just as tho motor-car was about to start the accused,, it is alleged, snatched a hatidbaz containing .£ls from Mrs. Isherwood. When he was arrested tho empty handbag was found in his possession.

The defence was a direct denial of the charge. Tho accused in his evidence stilted that when ho was at the hack of the hotel n man in. a blue jersey and with a singer moustache.thrust' a parcel into liis (accused's) Docket, sayins "Hero's your parcel." Tho accused claimed to have left a parcel inside tho hotel before lie eamo out.

Tho jury retired at about p.m., and returned just before a p.m. with a verdict of guilty. His Honour remanded tho prisoner until to-day for sentence.

CHARGE OF HOUSEBREAKING. ■ Two youths named William Fenton and Bert Aiding wero placed in tho dock to answer a charge of breaking and entering the' shop of Rita Ward, at No. Hil Riddiford Street, with intent to commit a crime. They wero also charged with being rogues and vagabonds within tho meaning of tho Polico Offences Act. Mr. P. W. Jnokson appeared for the accused, who pleaded not guilty. Mr. Edward Bocock" was foreman of the jury.

On the night of Juno 2S Constable C. Joss was doing duty in Riddiford SI root, and w.lien passing, tho premises of Mrs. Ward he heard a crash like the breaking of limber. He wnited for a few moments and. went to the' back of tho premises, .where he-could hear somo persons whispering. The constable climbed over a sft. wall and caught the accused Fenton, who was hiding near tho back fence. Aiding was near the hack door, and both had their boots.off. When anestioned the youths said that they had gono there to sleep. .They had no uiAney and nowhere lo go. When tho premises wero searched it was found that the top panel of tho hack door had been broken. When fenton searched a knife was found on him, to which putty was adhering. The two accused gavo evidence, and persisted in tho. statement that they went into tho yard to sleep. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty on the first count and guilty on the second (deeming accused to be rogues and vagabonds). The jury recommended the prisoners to mercy on account of their -youth. Sentence was deferred until to-day. CHRISTCHURCH SUPREME COURT By Tclegrnnh—Press Association Christchurch, Augwt 4. At the Supreme' Court to-day, William Henry Forsyth was found not guilty of theft of an overcoat valued at ten guineas. Ethel Esther Cousins and Percy Pascoe. charged with theft and receiving, were found guilly. Sentence was deferred.