STOLE FRIEND’S COAT

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 899, 17 February 1930, Page 11

STOLE FRIEND’S COAT

THEFT AFTER DRINKS AT PARTY FINE OF £5 IMPOSED To borrow a friend’s coat and pawn it, then keeping carefully out of his way. is to be guilty of theft, as Mr. F. K. Hunt. S.M.. pointed out to John Patrick Dudley, whom he fined £5 at the Police Court this morning. Dudley, an electrician, aged 23, was charged with stealing a coat valued at £1 from Charles Danielson on February 13. He pleaded guilty through Mr. Smyth. Chief-Detective Hammond said accused and complainant were drinking together at a party. Dudley had stolen the coat and pawned it. He had not previously been in trouble. According to Mr. Smyth, Dudley had gone to the party in clothes lent by bis friend. He had taken home a girl and. as it was raining. borrowed Danielson’s coat. When he returned the house was locked up. Mr. Hunt: But the pawnshop wasn’t. On the next day. counsel continued, being short of money, Dudley had pawned the coat. He had intended to redeem It and avoided his friend, as he was ashamed of what he had done. Dudley was prepared to take cut a prohibition order and would make restitution. He had been out of work and got into bad company. Drink had been the trouble. Dudley was given IS hours to pay Ihe fine, default of which was fixed at a month’s Imprisonment. He was prohibited and ordered to make restilution of 10s to the dealer who had bought the coat.