MAGISTRATES' COURTS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2171, 9 February 1881, Page 3

MAGISTRATES' COURTS.

CHRIBXOHUBOH. Wednesday, Febuuaby 9. [Before J. Nugent Wood, Esq„ B.M.J Deuhkbnnebs. —John Lane was fined 5s ;or this offence.

Indecency. —W. J. Weston was charged with indecent exposure in six cases in the presence of females in the Park, Oxford terrace, Antigua street, and Park terrace on December 28th and February 7th and Bth. The offences were proved to have been of a deliberate and persistent nature. Prisoner pleaded having been drunk, but all the witnesses, of whom there were a large number, declared that prisoner appeared quite sober on each occasion. The curator in charge of the gardens deposed to having seen prisoner guilty of several acts of indecency in the presence of females, and that he was a constant prowler about the park. Sergeant Morice said that lately there had been a great many of these offences committed in Christchurch. Decent females were constantly insulted in a similar manner, and he asked that prisoner might be made an example of. His Worship said this was the grossest case he had ever heard of, and sentenced prisoner to twelve months’ imprisonment with hard labour on one case, and one week on each of the others, the sentences to run concurrently. Wilful Destbucxion op Peophbty.— Isabella Leokie, a prostitute, pleaded guilty to having broken 40s worth of property, belonging to Geo, Beattie, of the Palace Hotel. When refused drink she broke some windows. Fined £5, or one month’s imprisonment with hard labour, and ordered to pay 40s, the value of the windows. Labceny. — F. Coyne was brought up charged with stealing a pair of boots, valued at 12s fid, tho property of John Sheen. A. Everett deposed to finding accused in a yard at, tho back of Everett Brothers’ shop. When accosted, he staggered about as if drunk. Ho had a parcel under his arm. He got up and wont away. Witness searched tho place, and found the pair of boots produced. Thought prisoner was shamming drunk. Tho shop boy in the employment of John Sheen identified tho boots as belonging to his master. They had been stolen from the shop. Prisoner was then charged, in conjunction with Robert Laing, with stealing four vests, valued at 24*, tho property of R. Black, clothier. Mr Holmes appeared for accused. The police produced a,vest, which C. M. Gray, shopman to Mr Black, recognised as being one which he had hung outside the shop on Friday last. Ho missed it, and another vest, at about four p.m, on that day. The vest produced had not hcen sold. E. Paynter, shop boy of S. Stewart, pawnbroker, of Lichfield street, deposed to having bought tho vest from Coyne for Is fid on Friday last. H, A, Davis, pawnbroker, of High street, stated that Coyne, on Friday last, offered

a vest, which ho took from under his coat, for sale at witness s place. Laiog was in his company. The vest was a new gray tweed. Mr Holmes here asked if the last witness spoken of wa» to be produced, being answered_ in the negative, and no other evidence being producen, the cose against Laing was dismissed. Both prisoners were next charged with stealing a coat from the shop of W. Strange and Co., valued at £1 19a 6d, on Friday last. A coat was produced by the police. One of the shopmen said a coat similar to it had been missed from the establishment on that day, but he could not identify tho one produced as being it, Seabright had been offered a coat similar to that produced by Laing on Friday, who wanted to sell it for 4a. Coyne was with him. They were not drunk. Doteo’.ive Neil deposed to arresting prisoners on Friday. Laing had the coat produced under the coat he was wearing. Mr Holmes urged that no proof had been given of the coat having been stolen, or that a coat had been stolen from Strange’s at all. Laing, speaking of himself, stated that the coat had been given to him by Coyne. Coyne was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment for stealing the boots, and four months for the coat. Laing received one month’s imprisonment for the coat, the cases against both prisoners for tho vests were dismissed.

Disobeying an Okdeb op Doubt. J. H. Hart was charged with neglecting to support his wife, as ordered by the Court in 1879 ; since December in that year ho had paid nothing. Accused promised to pay £2O in consideration of being cleared of further liability, which was agreed to by the wife, and tho accused, who is suffering from a broken arm, was ordered to be detained in the Hospital, till ho paid the money, or until further orders.