POLICE COURT

Evening Star, Issue 23691, 26 September 1940, Page 16

POLICE COURT

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26. . (Before Ml- J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.) DRUNKENNESS. Lawrence Imrie, on a charge of drunkenness, was fined £l, in default 48 hours’ imprisonment. THEFT OF GOODS. “ Probation is out of the question with a serious offence of this nature. The thefts date back to last year. He was in a position of trust and he abused it,” said His Worship when sentencing William Thomas Moyle, a railway shunter, to one month with hard labouxon one of a series of four charges of theft from the Railway Department, tlie Internal Marketing Board, and from two private firms. The total value of the goods stolen amounted to £lO 18s, Prosecuting, Detective-sergeant Hall said' Moyle was a married man with throe children. Ho had been employed on the railways for 17 years and for the past two years had been in charge of a gang Moyle had been seen carrying something away from the yards. It proved to bo a tarpaulin valued at £5. Following a search of accused’s home, two boxes of soap, two sacks of milling wheat, and a case of apples were found.

Moyle admitted the thefts in each case, added Mr Hall. The value of the Roods was not great, but the .thefts wore regarded as serious, as accused was in a position of trust, Mr 0. G. Stevens, representing Moyle, asked that the benefits of probation be extended to him. He had been severely punished in the loss of his employment. It was a first lapse, counsel said, and Moylfe had been very frank with the police. The sentence imposed by the court was in respect of the theft of the tarpaulin. On the other three charges Moyle was convicted and discharged.