AN OLD OFFENDER.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5200, 7 November 1927, Page 2

AN OLD OFFENDER.

SECOND CONVICTION LN WEEK.

THIRTY DAYS’ IMPRISONMENT.

Walter Waddell, alias William Anderson, who appeared before the local Court on Thursday last, was again brought up at the Police Court before Messrs W. Forrest and W. F. North, J’stP., on Saturday morning-. Waddell was charged with drunkenness in Te Aroha Road on Friday afternoon, with resisting Constable J. Dawson while in the. execution of his duty, and also with being an idle and disorderly person without visible moans of support.

Accused pleaded guilty to being drunk, but not guilty to the two other charges.

Constable Dawson said that accused was in a state of intoxication and was wandering about on Te Aroh a Road. When arrested he struggled violently, and it was only 'with difficulty that he was placed in a passing motor-car. On arrival at the police station he gave, fui ther trouble and adopted an aggressive attitude. He was in a filthy condit on and had scanty clothing. Corroborative evidence was given by Constable MeClinehy, who stated that several complaints had been received from local hotels about accused, who had be-en loitering round the town and generally making a nuisance of himself. He had failed to appreciate the leniency shown him when previously before the Court, and had not left Paeroa when he had givein an undertaking to the police that he would do so. He was a wellknown character who had a lengthy criminal list, and had served a number of terms of imprisonment in various parts of the Dominion. Ac used admitted that, he had spent all his money in buying liquor, and he pleaded for a chance to reform and go to a job at Thames. If the Bench would let him off with a fine he would “beat it out of the town and the police would not, see his heels for dust.” While admitting the correctness of the lengthy list of previous convictions, accused said he had made up his mind to turn over a new leaf and behave himself in the future.

The Bench pointed out that accused’s work could not be relied upon. He should have known from past e,xperience that it was a serious offence to resist the police. Although only a young man he had apparently made up‘his mind to follow a career of crime. It was a pity to see an ablebodied man squandering his life, but unless he mended his ways he would continue to meet with trouble. On the charge of resisting the police accused was convicted and sentenced to thirty day’s imprisonment with hard labour at Mt. Eden Gaol, and on the two remaining charges was convicted and discharged.