COURT CASES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1670, 9 February 1906, Page 2

COURT CASES.

AUCKLAND BURGLARS.

SHOCKING CASE.

(Per Press Association. 1 )! Auokland, last n’ght. I In the Supreme Court William Thompson and Percy Smith, oaught in the act of burglary in a Victoria stroet shop, were sentenced to four years each. At the Supreme Court Thos. Finnegan | and Patrick Murphy pleaded not guilty to a chargo of etea'ing with violenoe a watch and chaio, pendant, sovoroign oase,und £1 9s in money from tbo person of Charles M. Spinley. Spinley said that on December 29th he went into the Criterion hotel, whero he saw the two accused. Murphy asked for the loan of a few shiling*, and ho refused, and Murphy said he would have the let. Witness ltft the hotel, and was followed by the accused. Murphy grabbed him from behind, while

Finnegron rolieved him of his watch and chain and 295, a soveroiga oase and pendant. In tbo lower Court a man named Thompson was btought in, and said it was I lie who committed the robbery, but witness said ho was oortain it was not Thompson—it was accused. Thomas Finnegan was further charged with having slolen £2 3s from tho person of Thos. Elliott on December 30. Tho evidence [ for the prosecution wsb to the t-ffoct that accused bumped up against Elliott suddenly in the hotel bar and put his hands in his pockets and (oak the moaey out, Finoegan mado a slatement to the iffect that he knew nothing about the case. He had not put his hand into Elliott’s pocket. The jury found them both guilty. Io sentencing the prisoner?, his Honor referred to their record?, their convictions going from drunkenness to manslaughter, for which Murphy got two years. In the interests .of society their career"would have to ;be checked. Each prisoner was sen

tenced to four years’ imprisonment, and Finnegan for theft from the person received another sentence of four year?, the sentences to tua concurrently. William Fox, a man about the age of 40, was obarged with having indecently assaulted a seven-year-old girl at Birkenhead on November 24 Complainant gave evidence, in which she said that she was sept out for a paper and saw accused, who sat down her and committed the offence bp was charged with. Other evidence was also given. Petectiyes Fahey and Miller gave evidenpe as to the arrest of accused after a long obase. The accused did not give evidence, but addressed the Court. He admitted that he was there, butteaid be committed no offence, nor did he try to. He had a wife and two children. He bad only lately come out from England. The j’ury, after a short retirement, brought in a verdict of guilty. His Honor, in sentencing Fox, who put in a “■character,"'said that character was no avail in anything of this sort. He sen- i lencod prisoner to two years’ imprison- i ment.