Folkestone Herald
12-4-1941
Local News
A Sergt. Major who has been recommended for a commission
appeared before the Folkestone Magistrates on Friday last week to answer a
charge of stealing a mirror.
His battery commander described the taking of the
mirror as “an irresponsible prank”, and the case was dismissed under the First
Offenders’ Act, defendant being ordered to pay 15s. costs. The accused was T. Sergt. Major Edward
C. Cave.
Herbert J. Samways, licensee of the White Lion,
Cheriton, gave evidence that there was a mirror, valued about £, on the wall of
the hotel lounge. He saw it there last Saturday night, but he could not say whether
defendant was in the lounge that evening.
P.C. Barrett said at 8 p.m. on March 31st
he received information that a mirror was missing from the White Lion Hotel,
and following enquiries he saw Cave in the presence of his commanding officer. Defendant said “We took the mirror but
not in the light of theft. There were three other men with me”. Witness said the mirror was lying on
the floor by the side of defendant’s bed.
Defendant’s Battery Commander asked the Magistrates to allow the case to
be dealt with by the military, but the Bench would not acquiesce.
His Battery Commander, a solicitor, said although
in law it was a case of theft, the motive was not theft in the ordinary sense
of the word. It might be more properly described as an irresponsible prank.
Defendant told the Magistrates that he went to the public house with several of his friends. He had just been
granted leave and they went there to celebrate. They had several drinks and were rather merry and
he removed the mirror from the wall. On the night the police officer called they were
considering how they could restore the mirror to its owner, realising that it
was not “playing the game,” but they were rather “stuck” as to know how to take it back.
The Battery Commander said defendant enlisted in
May, 1939. In four months he was promoted from lance-bombardier to troop sergt-major. He had done extremely well
and had been recommended for a commission in either the R.A.O.C. or the R.A.S.C. because of his knowledge as a
mechanical motor engineer.
The Chairman (Alderman
R.G. Wood) said the Magistrates had decided to dismiss the case under the First
Offenders’ Act on payment of 15s.
costs.
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