GAOL SENTENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 33, 8 February 1935, Page 5

GAOL SENTENCE

INSTEAD OF WEDDING

''LENIENCY ABUSED'^

Despite; counsel's appeal for, liberty so: the accused could niake;a fr6sh start by getting married and 2 obtaining work out of '■ the. city, ai sentence, .pit three months' imprisonment:;for/ tlieft. .Was imposed/upon Victor John Peddie, aged 28, a motor driver, by Mr. W. E. Stilwell, ;S.M;, in the Magistrate's Court today.;----•■■••■ .-■•■..:; ,«:: :-- .\t ;.-.

•. Peddie ■ pleaded' guilty, to stealing a ■wristlet watch. valued* a,t-. 15s from J. S. Wilson and a cardigan valued at 30s from W. J. L. Thorpe. - ' - The accused motored to. Wellington last month in company with Thorpe to look for work, said DetectiveSergeant L, Revell., Peddie. stole the watch from, the office of a garage and the cardigan from Thorpe while he was at work. Detective R. Tripney had recovered both articles. The accused waf at present on-probation for ; theft.

"There is no doubt that the accused, has a weakness that leads him to takq things," said Mr. R. Hardie Boys on his behalf, but counsel, submitted that the offence was not entirely as bad as might appear at first sight.

After outlining the circumstances of the case, counsel said that the accused was to be married on February 16, and that he could obtain work in the country. He appealed to the Court to allow the young roan to make a fresh start. Mr. Stilwell said that he was satisfied that Peddie had hadhisxhances. In 1923 he had been granted three years' probation, in 1927 one year's Probatio, and two ■ years in • Borstal and in 1934 two years' probation. He had abused that leniency, and now he would be sentenced to three months' imprisonment on each charge, the sentences to be served-con-currently.