Racing Tips

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 26, 1 February 1937, Page 8

Racing Tips

BETTORS DUPED RACECOURSE INCIDENT SEQUEL IN COURT Charged with being an idle and did orderly person in that he had insufficient lawful visible means of support, Jack Leonard, aged 25 years, appeared before Mr. J. H. Salmon, S.M., in the Wanganui Magistrate’s Court on Friday. Accused, who had £92 19s in his possession, pleaded guilty to the charge, and w r as convicted and ordered to come up for sentence within 12 months if called upon.

Detective-Sergeant J. K. Robertson said that accused, who was in the com pany of three other jmen, came under observation at the Wanganui racecourse on Thursday afternoon. Accused had h roll of notes and would select some person interested in betting and ask him for the loan of a pencil. He would then walk away a few yards and pretend to make an entry of some kind. In the meantime, one of his associates would approach the man who had loaned the pencil and inquire from him whether accused had told him anything, remarking at the same time that accused was the person who worked the commissions for Hector Gray and others, and that he was anxious to know what accused had told him. This man would then walk away and accused would return with the pencil and than.k tho owner for the loan of it, and at the same time would tell him to put two or three pounds on some particular horse. A confederate would then come along and ask to see the tickets. This plan was adopted on several occasions, and sometimes some of tho tickets were taken. In one case a man had three 10s tickets taken and another had a£i ticket taken in a similar manner. The accused was arrested by Racecourse Detective Ward and Detective Packman at a period when one man from Taranaki was quite willing to learn something about racing and racehorses. Accused had a banking account in the name of John Gemmell, which showed that he came from Australia. i*rom what the police could gather he was a sick man and had been in hospital and wanted to get back to the South Island to re-enter hospital. The men who were apparently working with him on the racecourse when accused was arrested promptly disappeared, and from then on there was no further complaint. The Magistrate: Of course you know nothing of his occupation? Detective-Sergeant Robertson: No, except that he told us he had been selling silken goods, carpets, etc.; what is commonly known as shoddy, rotten.

Accused said that he had not been able to work for about eight months having been in hospital, and the money in his possession had been drawn from his banking account in Invercargill. The Magistrate remarked to accused that ho had no doubt that accused was mixed up with some others at the races in this practice of trying to dupe people. If he indulged in this sort of thing again he may expect a term of imprisonment. On this occasion, on account of the state of his health, accused would be given a chance.