FALSE PRETENCES

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21222, 19 September 1940, Page 6

FALSE PRETENCES

CARPENTER CONVICTED DRINK. GAMBLING AND RACING Involving £52, five charges of false pretences by presenting valueless cheques, were preferred against Thomas Michael Landy, aged 47, carpenter (Mr H. C. M. Norris), when he appeared before Mr S. L. Paterson, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court, Hamilton, today. He was convicted and discharged on three counts and on the fourth he was placed on probation for one year with special conditions that he make restitution of £3, take out a prohibition order, and refrain from gambling. On the fifth charge he was placed on probation for another year, with similar conditions, the amount to be restored being £7. According to Senior-Sergeant McHugh, who prosecuted, Landy became friendly with a publican in Waipawa who owned racehorses. He took Landy to }he races,.but unforunately the racehorse was one of the slow type and Landy lost £2O. He had borrowed £lO from the publican, with whom he later cashed a false cheque for £2O. He repaid the £lO out of this and then went to the races again with the other £lO. He became involved in further difficulties at a poker school, and left his work and disappeared. Landy served in the Great War for three years. In a statement to the police Landy attributed his lapse to drink, gambling and horse racing. He had an otherwise unblemished character stated the polio.