“A TRUSTED GUARDIAN”

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8357, 18 February 1913, Page 2

“A TRUSTED GUARDIAN”

rbmmbrs sentenced,

THREE YEARS' IMPRISONMENT. Charles Alfred Rummers,' an expellee constable, Who pleaded guilty in tho Magistrate’s Court to a charge of breaking and entering and six charges of theft, appeared before his Honor Mr Justice Chapman yesterday mofning for sentence. Mr M. Myers appeared for tho prisoner and said .there was no doubt that the offences to which tho prisoner had pleaded guilty were of a very serious character! by reason o'? the fact that he. was a member of the police force, which existed for tho protection of the public. There were, however, certain circumstances in favour of the prisoner which should be brought before tho court, and which should bo of some assistance to his Honor when considering sentence. Prisoner had been in New Zealand nine months only, and when he came here he made an application to join tho police force. He informed tho police of the various positions ho had hold in the Old Country, and his application, after full information about him had been obtained, was approved. Ho informed the police authorities he had been employed in the City of London Police, which, as his Honor know, was one of the fipest bodies of men in the world. He was a member of that body for something like four years, and left it with an excellent character. He had previously been employed with tho Onyx bicycle firm, and left them with ah excellent record. There must ho something to be sought in a man with such an unblemished character who committed crimes of this kind. The story he gave was a somewhat pathetic one. When ho left tho Old Country he borrowed about £2O from his sister. He told him (Mr Myers) that his father was dead and he had to assist in supporting his mother. Some little time ago his sister got out of employment through illness. He thought he would like to do something for his mother and sister, and ho wanted to bring them to New Zealand. It was then, and only then, that he succumbed to the temptation which landed him in tho position he now occupied. There seemed to be no doubt that but for this temptation he would never have been in this position, and seeing he had held an 'unblemished record for years, ha asked his Honor to deal leniently with him. _ Mr Macassey, the Crown Prosecutor, said in reply to his Honor, that tho Commissioner of Police had communicated with the Commissioner of tho City of London Police, and had received a reply stating that the prisoner was a constable from September 3rd, 190 S, to April 18tb, 19 IT, when he resigned. His antecedents were good, his conduct good, and his testimonials in every way satisfactory. There was nothing previously known against him. “ I am very sorry to see a young

man of the previous good character that has been described placed in the Eosition in which you are,” remarked is Honor to the prisoner. “It is a case in which I must inflict a severe sentence—all the circumstances call for that—but I do not leave out your previous good character.” His Honor said that only a short time ago he had to sentence a constable tor a single act of'larceny, and he could not help thinking the prisoner, in common with those interested in police matters, must have seen that sucli a case had been before the court. He could not overlook the character of tho offences the prisoner had committed. He had hail occasion to reprove Wellington shopkeepers for the carelessness they displayed in regard to locking their premises, but the fact that the door was easily opened did not excuse the prisoner. Ho was placed in tho street as the guardian of property, and it was his duty to protect property against marauders, and as long as tnefts were going on he was the last to be suspected. The police of this country, ho was pleased to say, had a high reputation, and the character of tho prisoner’s case had to be taken into consideration. He (his Honor) would give some consideration to tho character prisoner had borne, but he would not be doing his duty unless ho inflicted a term of imprisonment. Prisoner would bo sentenced to three years’ imprisonment with hard labour on the charge of breaking and entering, and to eighteen months on each of the other pharges, tho terms to bo concurrent. His Honor ordered the articles found in prisoner’s possession to be returned.