Posed as Constable

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 111, 27 May 1937, Page 4

Posed as Constable

ISSUED 86 VALUELESS CHEQUES Well-known H.B. Man Before the Court REFORMATIVE SENTENCE "All tbe cheques drawn on his account at the Bank of New Zealand, Wairoa, were honoured up to Octoher 14, 1936, but since that date 86 cheques have been disbonoured," said Detective-Sorgeant H. Nuttall to M*. j. Miller, S.M., in the Napier Magistrate's Court this morning when Ron.ald Honi Shrijnpton, of Napier, appeared on five charges pf obtaining woney by nieans of valueless cheques and one charge of representing himself tp be a police constable. On one charge he was sentenced to two years' reformative detention, and on the others he was ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within twe years. Cbarges against Shrimpton, who pleaded guilty and elected to be dealt with summarily, were: — (a) That on Deaember 3, 1936, at Hastings, witb intent to defraud, he obtained from one Jessie McLeod tbe gum of £2 5/- in money by falsely representing tbat a cbeque for £2 5/6 drawn on the Bonk of New Zealand. Wairoa, and signed E. H. ShrimptQn was a good and valid oyder for that amount, (b) Tbat on January 15, 1937, at Taupo, he obtained from Jobn Bannatyne Morrison tbe eum of £5 5/- by means of a valueless cbeque for £5 5/#. (c) That on January 17, at Wairoa, be obtained credit by fraud for taxi bire amounting to £85 10/- by falsely representing tbat a cbeque for tbat amount was a good- and valid order. (d) Tbat on February 4, 1937, at Hamilton, he falsely assumed tbe designation of a police con'stable, (e) Tbat on February 4, at Hamilton, be obtained from A, G, Carter the snm qf £5 14/6 in money by falsely representing that a cbeque for £6 10/6 signed by E. H, Shrimpton and drawn on the National Bank at Wairoa was a good and valid order for tbat amount. (f) Tbat on February 5, at Auckland, witb intent to defraud, he obtained from William Ellerington the sum o* £4 by means of a valueless cheque. "This man is a well-known resident of Hawke's Bay," saia Detective-Ser-geant Nuttall. "He opened an account on September 1, 1936, witb the Bank of New Zealand at Wairoa, and all eheques drawn on tbat account up tp October 14 were honoured. Since tbat dai», however, 86 cheques have been dishonoured. I have not tbem all, but I knpw tbey exist. Some timo ago tbe uccused was notified by a firm of splicitorB in Napier tbat he must cease to issue these cheques, and when he was arrested I found the letter in bis pocket. "Offences in this respect have been committed at Auckland, Hamilton, Taupo, Hastings and various otber districts. At Hamilton and Auckland be assumed tbe designation pf Constable Shrimpton, of Wairoa, and was able to easb two of tbese cheques. Tbe mere fact pf mentioning his late .fatber'g name enabled bim to get all tbe credit he wisbed. "In May, 1930, be was before this Cpurt on 18 charges of falge pretenceg and sentenced to a term of imprisonment." In defence, Mr. S. H. Morrison said tbat it was difficult to account for the accused'e actions. He bad, however, given tbe police an opportunity pf obtaining all tha cheques, and wben arrested bafi made no effort to conceal any pf bis actions. "Tbis man appear* as one wbo has no excuse at all for doing wbat be has done, ' ' said tbe Bench in delivering tbe sqntence. "He came of a good family, and finaneially be should have no reason to do this, but it appears that he is more or less committed to tbis mode of life. I feel tbat tbere is only oue way of dealing with the case, and tljkt is tbat be should be put in prison for reformative purposes for a fairly loug term, "He will be sentenced to reformative detention for a period noc exceeding two years, and it will depend on bis conduct wbat time be will remain there."