SERIES OF CRIMES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26621, 18 November 1947, Page 2

SERIES OF CRIMES

YOUNG MAN SENTENCED FALSE PRETENCES AND THEFT “It is difficult to know what to do with you, You are a menace to the community, and have been deliberately planning these thefts and false pretences over a period and at various places,” said Mr •J. D. Willis, S.M., in the City Police Court yesterday morning, when sentencing Allan Percival Norwood to a total of nine months' imprisonment. Norwood, a 28-year-old taxi driver, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to 11 charges of theft and three of false pretences. On the first charge of false pretences, he was sentenced to six months' imprisonment with hard .labour and on the second to, three months’ imprisonment with hard labour, the sentences to be cumulative. On each of the other charges, he was convicted and discharged. The chief detective, Mr T. Y. Hall, said that since September the accused appeared to have lived by money obtained by crime. He had started in Wanganui on September 25 by stealing three cheque forms, and during the next few days he had induced people to cash cheques totalling £3O 15s. Before leaving Wanganui he had stolen jewellery and other articles to the value of £2l and seven more cheque forms. He then went to Wellington, where on October 27 and 28 he stole seven more cheque forms, goods an'd jewellery to the value of £9O and 17s 6d in cash. After selling some of the property in Christchurch, he came on to Dunedin, where he stole three cheque forms from an hotel room on October 31. He was arrested on November 3, and had assisted in the tracing of the stolen property. The accused said that he had intended making restitution, and that he had intended sending Ho the police in Wellington the stolen property found in his possession. Unregistered Rifle After complaints from Ravensbourne residents about shots being fired in the vicinity of the streets, police inquiries showed that Peter Manning, aged 18, was in possession of an unregistered rifle, which he had sawn down to make a pistol. Manning was convicted and fined £2 when he appeared in court yesterday morning. Ernest Mahs. aged 20, who admitted having given the rifle to Manning in May, said that he had previously had it for about six years. He had not registered the weapon. He was also fined £A with costs (10s), and an order was made for the forfeiture of the rifle. Butchers Fined In a reserved decision, Mr Willis convicted four city butchers and fined them each £2 with costs (£2 Is 6d) for keeping pickling preparations without the required label. The defendants were Aubrey Henry Fisher, Robert Jenkins Robertson Ernest Edward Hopewell and Frederick Charles Henderson. Case Adjourned Arrested when wandering about the streets at 1.30 a.m. yesterday, Jean Miles, aged 20, was charged with being idle ana disorderly. After hearing the submissions of Mr G. M. Lloyd, who appeared at. the request of the girl’s parents, and a report by the female probation officer, Mr Willis adjourned the case until Thursday to enable a medical examination to be carried out. Remanded to Timaru Gwendoline Grace Fowler, who was charged with failing to appear for sentence at Timaru on November 13. was remanded to appear at Timaru on Thursday. Alleged Theft Myra Mary McDowell (Mr J. P. Ward), aged 28, was charged with the theft .of 58 bottles of essence and 18 tins of spice between February 7 and November 7, the total value of the goods being £7 12s. On the application of Chief Detective Hall she was remanded until Monday. Bail was allowed in the sum of £25, with one surety of £25.