"APPALLING RECORD"

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 102, 27 October 1945, Page 8

"APPALLING RECORD"

FALSE PRETENCES CHARGES O.C. PALMERSTON N., This Day. "You are only a young man—3B years of age—and you have a most appalling record of false pretences," said Mr. Justice Blair in the Supreme Court at Palmerston North yesterday when passing sentence on George Henry Ellis, a radio electrician, of Wellington, who was found guilty on six charges of obtaining money by false pretences and one charge of attempting to obtain money with intent to defraud.

"Between 1940 and 1943 you had five convictions for this class of offence, plus one for bigamy' which is really another form of false pretence, and this record is interspersed with nine convictions for theft. What is one to do with a man like you?" asked his Honour.

What he ought to do, he continued, was give the accused a sharp term of imprisonment and declare him an habitual criminal. However, he would issue a warning that Ellis was qualified for declaration as an hibityal criminal and would record that warning. He sentenced Ellis to two years' imprisonment with hard labour on each of six charges of obtaining money by false pretences, and one year of the charge of attempted false pretence, the terms to be concurrent. Ellis, in various parts of the North- Island, represented to different persons that he had the present ability to supply new tyres and tubes, obtaining a deposit and failing to supply the goods.