EX-AIRFORCE CAPTAIN CONVICTED

Hokitika Guardian, 22 December 1930, Page 5

EX-AIRFORCE CAPTAIN CONVICTED

TWO YEARS’ PROBATION,

,By Telegraph—Per Pres« Association^ AUCKLAND, December 19.

A man who held the rank of . captain in the British Air Force and had been a prisoner of war in Germany was *

sentenced in the Auckland Supreme Court to-day by Air Justice Smith on . three - charges of forgery. He was .Joseph Allen Parkinson, aged thirtytwo, described as a motor mechaific. Air Trevor Henry, who appeared for the accused said he had been in the employ of the Railway Department and had forged name s to three cheques which he passed at the baa’s of Auckland hotels during a period of eight days. The amount totalled £l3 10s. Some time before the offences were committed the accused had lost liis wife in a tragic niotor smash.’ He was in a despondent state of mind- and had been drinking heavily. There was evidence that he spent most of the money in drink. At the early age of sixteen, Parkinson had enlisted for active sendee and he served throughout the war reaching the -rank of captain in the Flying Corps. He had been’ in Auckland’for six years and had never been in trouble before. .

!His Honour said that.although there were three offences they were close together and he did not think accused would have committed them but for the fact that.hewas in a reckless state of mind. * i- - • _ Parkinson was admitted to probation that he took , out a prohibition order against himself and paid the costs of the prosecution-