Prisoner Offers to Assist Police

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 330, 16 April 1928, Page 1

Prisoner Offers to Assist Police

CLEARING UP OLD CRIME SERVED SEVEN YEARS’ GAOL “I arp sick and tired of breaking and entering, anyhow. The people I stole the money from want to know where it went, so if you will make the sentences concurrent I will tell the police what I did, and clear up the whole thing. ‘Horatio Bottomley got seven years for stealing half a million, and I got eight years for ordinary theft, but the police and the probation officer have treated me decently, and I am willing to help them.” This extraordinary statement was made from the dock in the Supreme Court this morning by John William McClure, who appeared for sentence on a charge of breaking, entering, and theft at Auckland. McClure was not represented by counsel, and when asked if he had anything to say, pointed out that in 1920 he received a sentence of eight years’ imprisonment for theft. After serving seven years fc.3 was released on licence. During the last nine months he had done nothing wrong, and the present charge was one of the series of offences for which he had been sentenced in 1920. “I only suggest, your Honour,” he said, “that I have had my share of saol, and that I should not be sent back.” “What you say is quite true,” said Mr. Justice Blair. “This particular charge dates back to 1919, and I have no doubt that in that sentence the court took into consideration the whole series of charges. The probation officer reports that since your release 'ou have been making determined efforts to go straight, and that you deserved release on licence. I hope you ' r ill continue to earn the good opinion ot the probation officer. You will be toavicted and discharged. “As I got such good consideration lr °w the police and the probation offi-j-er,” said McClure, commencing what “S termed an “extraordinary statement o ffl*ke," “I will clear up things. The Mice will never know what happened l 0 the money I took, although it Is all s Pent now. but I can tell them a few bmgs they would never find out. I J* a Jot of jobs, but if your Honour *tU make the sentences concurrent, J will do all I can to help. I -■ll have a few months to go before {” ‘loence expires, and I don’t want *° ba ck to gaol.” loefc • onour said the police would tin * D *° tbe ma tter. and assured Mc- ... that he would be treated with 111 fairness.