BURGLARY CHANGE

Hokitika Guardian, 2 November 1927, Page 1

BURGLARY CHANGE

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, Nov. 1. The trial of Ina Hun trice Wills, aged 25, on charges of burglary, was concluded at the Supreme Court. Air Dickson, for the defence, saiil Mrs AVills came before them as a woman of unblemished character. He could not deny she was of Bohemian habits, and she might have a tendency of the “ flapper ” class, that existed in Auckland to-day, but the suggestion that she was a criminal be emphatically denied. The principal witness for the Crown was a man. Skinner, from Australia, where he had served a term of imprisonment for bigamy. This man sought to picture himself as an innocent, led by the nose and caught in the machinations of a scheming woman. When in gaol he wrote a letter which was intercepted, in which he suggested to friends lengthy details of false evidence they should give to prove he had not been out with Wills on the evening in question. Counsel submitted that accused had given Skinner away by telling the truth, and he sought to “ get hack on her ” by telling his story. His confession probably mitigated his sentence. Air Justice Reed: It did not mitigathis sentence one iota. .Mr Dickson: I am very much obliged to your Honour. He may have thought it would mitigate his sentence. Counsel was going on to reflect on the conduct of the detectives toward accused, when his Honour checked him. It was not fair, the Judge said to suggest that any detective would be such a fool as to put himself in the bands of a despicable scoundrel by making suggestions that might afterwards be repeated in Court. Mr Dickson suggested that it was very reprehensible for a detective t interview accused persons iu gaol regarding crimes with which they wort charged. Mr Hubble, for the Crown, said that the last statement made by Skinner was not made to any member ol tln - police force, but to Skinner's own solicitor. His Honour said that whatever tin position was, it was no ground whatever to make any reflection on the detective force for its altitude in tin l matter. The jury returned a verdict of guilty on the third and least serious count, that of receiving stolen goods, knowing them to have been dishonestly obtained. Sentence was postponed until Thindnv morning.