BACK TO PRISON

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20726, 9 February 1939, Page 10

BACK TO PRISON

FRAUDS BY LABOURER SIX CHARGES ADMITTED “ He comes out of prison and runs around the country defrauding business men," said Detective-Sergeant J. Thompson, in the Magistrate’s Court, Hamilton, to-day, before Mr S. L. Paterson, S.M., when six charges of false pretences and one of obtaining credit by fraud were preferred against Hector Vernon Penwarden (39), a labourer, of no fixed abode, who was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment to be followed by reformative detention not exceeding 18 months. The charges involved false pretences at Hamilton, Marton, New Plymouth. Wanganui, Matamata and Hawera. The amount obtained by Penwarden was £2l 9s 2d and £2 credit. He pleaded guilty to all charges. In a statement to the police accused outlined his methods which in some cases was offering to pay bills for fictitious people, collecting change from valueless cheques and at other times making purchases and paying for them with valueless cheques for a greater value than the goods purchased. Business men Defrauded At Hamilton on January 12, Penwarden defrauded Ona Evelyne Langson Baker for £1 17s by presenting to her a cheque drawn on the bank of New Zealand at Te Awamutu for £4 10s in favour of E. Griffis and drawn by S. Evans, which was not valid. On January 4 at Marton, Penwarden obtained £2 from Leonard Robert Chainey by presenting a false cheque for £7 drawn on the Union Bank of Australia at Marton in favour of B. Nolan by S. Stevens. A further £4 19s Sd was obtained by false pretences at New Plymouth on December 27 when Penwarden presented to Edgar Ernest Shorder a valueless cheque for £l2 drawn on the Commercial Bank of Australia in favour of It. Walsh by S. Stevens. Eric Walter Clifford was defrauded of £4 at Wanganui on January 2 when he accepted from the accused a false cheque for £i 10s drawn on the Bank of New South Wales at Wanganui by S. Evans in favour of P. Edwards. At Matamata on February 2 Penwarden obtained a further £5 from Carl James White by a valueless cheque for £5 drawn on the Bank oi Australasia in favour of G. Wiliams by A. Sutherland. Qn December 29 at Ilawera, Penwarden obtained £3 2s 6d from Alfred Henry Corey by a false cheque for £9 drawn on tfie Bank of Australasia by P. Wrignt in favour of It. Stevens. The charge of credit by fraud concerned ');*• action of .he ace .*eri in incurring a debt of £2 2s Od with Thomas Hugh Lawson at New Plymouth on Christmas Day. Several previous convictions for false pretences had been entered ‘iigaiust Penwarden.