BOGUS CALLS

Marlborough Express, Volume LXXVI, Issue 251, 24 October 1942, Page 3

BOGUS CALLS

MISUSE OF TELEPHONE. TERM OF IMPRISONMENT. A man who was sentenced to 18 months' gaol last year for sending bogus messages by telephone appeared before Mr Luxford, S.M., at Auckland, on a similar charge, and he was also charged with using indecent language over the telephone. He was Edward Albert McGuire, aged 41, cook, who pleaded guilty to both counts. Senior-Detective Walsh said accused was released from prison on October 6 and at 11 am. that day he telephoned the postmaster at the Upper Symonds Street Post Office and told him one of the postwomen had met with a serious accident and was not expected to live. Saying that it was "Dr Edwards" speaking, he asked for the girl's name and address, which were given. It was then ascertained that the story was false. "Accused got in touch with the girl on the following day with a story that he was ringing her with awarning about a prisoner from the gaol," Mr Walsh continued. "He said that this man used to watch for her delivering mail at the gaol and would attempt to do her physical harm. If she had anything on her mind about him she should write to a post office address. The following day he rang again and toid the girl the prisoner he had warned her about had been confined to his cell. He then used the language eomplained of." The conversation was a lengthy one and accused was located by Detective Lennon with the receiver still in his hand. In a staternent handed to the magistrate, accused said he suffered shell-shock and a head injury in the last war, when he was only 16 years old. After the war he spent four years in a mental hospital as a voluntary patient and began to take drugs. When he was drugged he had no idea what he was doing. He was very sorry for what he had done. Saying that misuse of the telephone in that fashion was likely to magistarte imposed a sentence of 12 eause suffering to the victim, the months' imprisonment. ry