POLICE COURT

Evening Star, Issue 22441, 11 September 1936, Page 10

POLICE COURT

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11. (Before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M.) THEFT CHARGE. ■ Leslie Gordon Henri (21) was charged with the theft of £2 10s. Mr A. G. Neill said that Henri had an unfortunate history, but as he was reaching manhood he was making an effort to keep himself respectable. It was possible that he was not beyond redemption. His case was somewhat different from those of other young men, who were really work shy. Henri was not afraid to take on work. The probation officer (Mr J. . Garbutt) reported that while Henri was on remand he persisted in associating with a criminal. . , . To allow of certain inquiries being made, Henri was remanded in custody until Monday. CHIMNEY ON FIRE. William Edward Short Knight was fined 5s and costs for allowing a chimney to catch fire. THEFT CHARGE ADJOURNED. After hearing the evidence against Frank Goldsmid (26), who was charged with stealing an overcoat valued at £2 9s 6d from the Town Hall during a dance on August 1; the Magistrate said that he did not intend to enter a conviction, and adjourned the case for 12 months. * , Goldsmid was represented by Mr J. G. Warrington. He pleaded guilty. Senior-sergeant Packer said that the coats belonging to the complainant and the accused were of the same pattern, and were placed on the same peg in the cloak room of the hall. Finding his coat missing, the complainant took the accused’s garment, in the pocket of which was found an income tax form hearing Goldsmid’s name and address. He was trailed by tho police to Lawrence, and admitted he bad taken the coat, and had no intention of returning it. Mr Warrington said that several overcoats had gone astray. Counsel understood that defendant’s coat was taken by mistake, and ho had retained the one that-was left, fully expecting the person who had taken his to communicate with him through the address on the income tax form. Goldsmid had certainly acted foolishly, as he should have taken it to the police. He pleaded guilty to theft because of that technical breach. The coat taken did not fit him, and. had he set out with the intention of tnieving one, counsel submitted Goldsmid would have chosen a better type of garment. As soon as he was accosted by the police at Lawrence hq was quite frank about the whole matter. “i A conviction against this man would be an undue punishment,” submitted Mr Warrington. . In reply to Mr Bundle, Seniorsergeant Packer said that nothing was known against the accused for dishonesty. . , The Magistrate said that, after hearing the facts, there was some doubt in his min'd as to whether the offence was committed intentionally. The case was adjourned for 12 months, an order being made for the return of the coat to the owner. MOTORISTS CHARGED. William Henry Hicks was convicted and discharged on a charge of being an unlicensed motor driver;-and Robert Wriglit was fined 5s and costs for employing an unlicensed driver. Mr C. iB. Barrowclough appeared for both defendants, and the evidence showed that when Hick? was driving the car for Wright he ran into the safety zone at the Stock Exchange. Alexander Thompson Smaill and William Reynolds Morland were each fined 5s and costs for driving an unhghted motor car. , . . On a .charge of dangerous driving, Bruce Robertson Beck was fined £5 and C °Hugh Miller, who drove an unlicensed heavy traffic motor lorry, -was fined 10s and costs. „ , „ Edward Arthur Bolwell was fined 5s and costs for driving a motor car without the necessary lights. ' William M'Combe was fined 20s and costs for driving an overloaded heavy motor lorry, and for a similar offence William Casey and Son were fined! costs (13s). . , . _ For driving unlicensed heavy, traffic motor lorries Hugh Miller and William Oxley were each fined 10s and costs. After being acquainted of some of the facts, the Magistrate amended a charge of failing to give way to traffic on the right to one of negligent dnving against Ronald’ John McDonald, who pleaded guilty, and was fined £2, witnesses' expenses (12s), and court costs (16s). Norman Chin, for whom Mr B. S. Irwin appeared, pleaded not guilty. to a charge of dangerous driving.—Seniorsergeant Packer stated l that three witnesses noticed the speed of the . defendant’s car, which was being driven along the Anderson’s Bay road into the city.—Evidence was given by Rodger Himburg, John Wroblenski, and Albert Wroblenski, who estimated the speed of the motor car, heard the screech of brakes and a crash as the car hit something. By this time the car was out of sight on the other side of a hedge lining one side of the Oval. Witnesses ran to the scene of the accident and saw the car stopped at an angle, while a few feet away was a cyde lying on the ground.—Evidence was also given by William Edmond Seque, the, cyclist who was knocked down by the motor car. (Proceeding.)