ROXBOROUGH BEFORE THE COURT

Shannon News, 27 September 1921, Page 3

ROXBOROUGH BEFORE THE COURT

COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE. At the Palmerston Police Court last week, Charles Henry Roxborough, Kvho recently escaped from the Palmerston gaol, and who was recaptured by Constable O’Donoghue .in the Bainesse district on Wednesday, was called upon to answer eight indictable charges as follows: — (1) That on June Bth he did steal a suitcase and contents, valued at £l2 2s 6d,'the property of Rev. J. C. Abbott, of Shannon; (2) That on August 31 lie did hfeak and enter the shop of W. A. Langshear, at Tokomaru, and steal there-

from £9 in money; (3) That, between May 20th and August 24th, 1921, at Tokomaru, he did by day break and enter the dwellinghouse of Mrs D. G. Finnerty, and did steal blankets and other .articles of the total value of '£4 4s; (4) That on August 29th, at Makerua, he did by day bi’eak and enter the shop of Charles Nordell and steal a metal watch and chain, valued at £5 10s; V (5) That September 14, at Makerua, he did break and enter the dwellinghouse oK Charles NordeU, and did: steal a razor and various .articles of a total value of £1; (6) That on or about September 14, at. Shannon,- he did break and enter by night: the shop of Wm. H. Gunning, and. did steal a coat, and various other articles' of a total value of £OO 6s; - (7) That on September 16th. he did by day break and enter the dwelling of Robert Coley, at Shannon, and did steal an electric torch value 12s, and a piece of meat value Is 6d; (8) That on September 13th, at Palmerston North, being in lawful custody on charge Of a punishable offence, he did escape from such custody. ' Senior-Sergeant Fraser prosecuted, and each case was heard separately. Accused was 'not defended. Evidence was given by a number of witnesses, and accused pleaded guilty to each charge, and was committed for sentence. The accused was further charged with the theft, of various articles of clothing from Mf Gunnings- store at Tokomaru, during the past six months. 5 . To this charge a plea of not guilty waffeitered. William? "Edward Leyddn, manager of M'r Gunning’s store, -stated that various articles of clotlijhg produced, valued at £5, had not lifen bought by the accused. Constable that, he found the property mentioned in this change in the accused’s room at Toko- 1 maru. Accused stated then that they | had been bought at sales by him. | When questioned regarding the vari-1 ous sizes of the collars, shirts, etc., ; accused made no reply. j Accused, giving evidence on his 1 own behalf, made a. statement to the j effect that he had bought several j pairs of gloves from Mr Gunning’s | store at the same time. To two further charges of the theft of a race game, valued at £4, the property of Mr Lankshear, and of unlawfully converting to. his own j use a bicycle • belonging to Colin Lewis when he effected his escape . from custody, Roxborough pleaded guilty and elected to be dealt with summarily. He was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment on each of .these charges, and on the charge of'theft, of the clothing to three months’ imprisonment, the sentences to be concurrent. To a further charge that, on September 17th, he did unlawfully c.oniert’ to his own use a motor cycle, the property of William Adams, the accused pleaded not guilty. Constable Shannon and • the owner of the cycle gave evidence, the former stating that he recognised accused ; as the rider of a motor cycle proceeding in the direction of Wellington. The. Bench held that the evidence was not strong enough to warrant a committment, and dismissed the case.