WOMAN’S FRAUDS

Hokitika Guardian, 28 March 1933, Page 6

WOMAN’S FRAUDS

LONDON STORES AS VICTIMS.

ISSUE OF VALUELESS CHEQUES.

LONDON. March 22.

Reference was made at Marylebone Police-court yesterday to a despicable criminal wlio was. using women joi the purpose of carring; out extensive cheque frauds on London drapery stores.

* The facts.-in the case discioso. one of the greatest frouds .perpetrated on London stores,” said Mr Kay Whitbnay. tlie’i.solicitor prosecuting. • Ihe methods of this 'woman have been to open accounts at banks with a lew pounds''' aiid then to use the. cheque books given to her regardless of 'the amounts standing- to her credit. ' -On other occasions she has used cheques which have been lost or stolen.” The result was that she was charged witn offences which involved twentytwo stores, goods to the total value of £237, and the use of thirteen different names. The London stores added the solicitor, had been flooded with these bad cheques.

- Det.-Sergt Dennis stated that he had r , .am u*ro»ia. cjbim. s>a<« . -y. .that morning served the accused with particulars of twenty-five other offences, which she admitted.. 11l reply to Mr Lawrence Vine, defending, Sergfc. Dennis said that since these offences began, they had since had been issued in exactly the same circumstances ’by a man who had a criminal record. A warrant was out for his arrest.

In a large number of the eases now before the Court this man took a prominent part. He was now working in concert with two other women.

! Mr Lawrence Vine .urged in mitigation that accused had been the catspaw of a very clever criminal, who might also be regarded ns a despicable cad. Not content with uttering tde cheques himself, he had inveigled a perfectly respectable woman into his dutches, obtained the proceeds of the frauds, and when she was in this predicament for tho first time in her life lie had run away and wa s content to coerce other woman into carrying out similar frauds.

Mr Cairns said that lie was; not able to take the view that any mail had coerced the accused. Tile* days r.f. coercion had long since gone by. It was a bad and deliberate frauo, and be Sentenced her to six months’ imprisonment.