MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 142, 11 March 1920, Page 3

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

LUGGAGE THIEF CAUGHT

COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE

Nino charges of thoft of luggage were preferred apjainst a young mini named James Harold O'Brien, alias J. 11. Bennett, heforc Mr. W. 0. Biddcll. O.i»„ &• the Magistrate's Court .vesturday. Tlie property stolen consisted of uuit case", portmanteaux, clothing, and traveller*' samples, of a total value of £176 19s. Detective-Sergeant Lewis conducted tlio prosecution, and Mr. C. A. L. Treadwell defended.

j Ihe evidence showed that for some I months past passengers on the Welling I ton-Lyttelton ferry service and the Pic ! ton-Wellington service' had been comI plaining of the loss of their luggage. Aci cused, on no fewer than five occasions, i was on the wharf when the ferry steaml er arrived, and overheard passengers givI ing instructions to carriers about the disI posal of their luggage. Accused used to S approach the carriers and represent to I tneni that ho was a brother of so-and-so, t or. a friend. He would then say that I the person named, having decided to go 1 on to Auckland or elsewhere, required I Ihe luggage to be sent to an hotel. The I carriers acted oo these instruction'!: ac- | cused paid the cartage, and then ilUnrjird •J of moßt of tho goods to second-hand J dealers. Somo of the articles ho threv I away. Pour of the otjences with which I ,1 n . wa , 3 'harged wero straight-out I thefts-two from the Balmoral Hotel, one I „„ om i. a J O ,' o "™' tvnrt one from a cabin j i "." tho Patcena. The thefts were traced tnrpugn a carrier named William Henry I unvlcy, who became suspicious when air I Ff,w n 2 moused,'and informed Con™L* o he WftJ arre 9ted. Detective-Ser-geant Carney investigated the ease, and O Brum admitted the thefts, giving every a? Iei nCe I" the , "wrery'of the* stolen IS™ • i Accu « e< J appeared to heve a stated" Do ° r memory ' tho Proaecution m te Se fL plca ? ed sa i lty - and w «s comrn™JKV entence ' Bail was refused. h „ Co ™ c ! for accused asked that O'Brien ■jS-5T 4 . 11 / J , he Baol Bu wn, and the Bench directed that this should be done. 3 GUILTY OP FALSE PRETENCES. Charles ■ Frederick Hodgson pleaded fhe% °nc Charßeß $ rtis™prSten2S - :„S T o ™™. w "e committed in July, 1915 and immediately after them accused left from°thl Ce f^ n n/ h 5 N ' Z ' RP ' 0n ««""«»" anoThor cW™ hc , wafl apprehended on another charge, and was sentenced to two months' imprisonment. Subsequently, i,„ taVterita? pleTde^gSSlty". 069 ,0 wWob Acoused was committed for sentence. A BICYCLE THIEF. A youth named Leslie Edlin nloaile.i va U&V&T 9 H°Ln heft ,?' *™ bicycle If jfliu V"k £1 ° each . the OTonnrry of Hatnck and On. and Jumes TTalllm/ taLW 0 informed the Bench that accused who wis a resident of Pctone, had "tolon tli2 machines in Wellington, and lad then disposed of them at Petone. Recently at Chr stchuroh ho had be«n arraigned on similar, charge, and h«d been Sonera m. w w yc \ r ," "formative treatment His Worship sentenced accused to two ffiV^tnt^"- 11^"A SERIOUS CHABGK fl« J r rt ni'r,A* rry . nnr .l' a Ta udeville avtist, pleaded not guilty to a charm of snulT'boyf Sn in(lecent «»'« ' M Willis pVosecuted, and ,-ni „* n rt waf cieareo THTring the hearJumJ "'« CT,de »«. Accused plended no. guilty and was committed to the Supremo Court for trial. OTHER POLICE CASES. A fine of £3, ; n default 14 (lavs' imprisonment, was imiScd on n tircn au theW? n,, , rd BtNe S wh ,° adiittcdTto in., fh ca, ? ass of lal!lb valued at £1 iii"- the ,P ro Porty of the Shaw, Savill and , Albion Company Accused, while under Jin nS «f n % 0, c U,nor 'J , . lcked t,K e«««w ?ua. near Ms Ehip '' the Mat! - A further rcniand till March 17 wai wife"'!," 1 1"° ca , se of a,h "Sn Morto" r," "as charged with the theft of VL™ '""d. 5 , amounting to £367 2s. „w?S as D M anic } Ryan - a wharf labourer, pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing a ham valued at 255., the pronerty of"son 2 person unknown. A remand till this morning was granted in order that further inquiries might he made. Mr. 0. A h. Treadwell. appeared for accused. ■ For insobriety O.rles Wilkie was lined I' 17s:' 6d ordcrcd t0 pay medical expenses, A sentence of 21 days' imprisonment was imposed on Henrick Hansen, who Wl inaCCC,U aCt in '"• lcn^hv 0 3llly - Gibl,ons wl, ° lla <l a lengthy lit'i of previous convictions, was sentenced to cix months' imprisonment.