OFFENCE. Class of Offence Statute or Authority. EXPLOSIVE SUBSTANCES. See "Explosive Substances," M. 38 Vict. c. 17, s. 91. [MEM. The offences under this statute have been fully treated under the head of Summary Convictions." EXPOSING CHILD. See tit. "Cruelty." EXTORTION. 66 193. By any officer by colour of his office. [1 Hawk. c. 68, s. 1; [There are various others punishable by particular sta- FACTORS. See tit. "Agents." FACTORY INSPECTORS. See tit. " Workshops Regulation." FALSE IMPRISONMENT. M. Common Law. .... 194 [See Arch. Cr. Pl. by Bruce, 16th ed. pp. 645-649.] M. Common Law. FALSE PERSONATION. s. 1. 194a. "If any person shall falsely and deceitfully personate any F. 37 & 38 Vict. c. 36, [MEM. Nothing in this act is to prevent any person from committing either of the Offences 195-197, after its commission, although the offender may have the property in his possession, unless he offers to sell or pawn it. [See also Brittain v. Bank of London, 8 Law T., N. S. 382; 3 F. & F. 465.] By 22 & 23 Vict. c. 17, ante, pp. 877, 878, an indictment cannot be preferred for "obtaining money or other property by false pretences," unless a previous inquiry has taken place before justices, or by the order of a judge, &c. 54a Extension of Enactment.] By 24 & 25 Vict. c. 96, s. 89, "whosoever shall by any false pretence cause or procure any money to be paid, or any chattel, or valuable security, to be delivered to any other person, for the use or benefit, or on account of the person making such false pretence, or of any other person, with intent to defraud, shall be deemed to have obtained such money, chattel, or valuable security within the meaning of the last preceding section." [Offence 195.] OFFENCE. Class of Offence Statute or Authority. FALSE PRETENCES (Notes 54, 55, 56). 195. Whosoever shall by any false pretence obtain from any M. 24 & 25 Vict. c. 96, ["Valuable Security" is defined by 8. 1, Note 80, tit. 196. Whosoever shall by any false pretence cause or procure 197. Whosoever, with intent to defraud or injure any other person, shall by any false pretence fraudulently cause or induce any other person to execute, make, accept, indorse, or destroy the whole or any part of any valuable security, or to write, impress, or affix his name, or the name of any other person, or of any company, firm, or copartnership, or the seal of any body corporate, company or society, upon any paper or parchment, in order that the same may be afterwards made or converted into or used or dealt with as a valuable security.* 8. 88. M. Id. s. 89. M. Id. s. 90. 55 Cases on what is and is not a False Pretence.] A "false pretence" within this section appears from the various and somewhat contradictory decisions to be a fraudulent representation of some pretended, definite, positive and existing fact, essential in the case (not a mere promise for future conduct or to do some act only, nor an opinion or aggravated praise of goods disposed of, or tricks in commercial dealings), made for the purpose of inducing, and by which the prosecutor, believing the statement to be true, is induced to part with his entire property in the thing obtained [not the temporary use of it, Reg. v. Kilham, 39 L. J. (N. S.) M. C. 109; 22 Law T., N. §. 625], and in the case of money, whether it is an advance by way of loan or otherwise; or it may be such a false statement, combined with a promise to do something in future. It is immaterial whether the false pretence be made verbally or by means of untrue statements in written documents or in any other manner; but the obtaining of the property must, however, be the direct and not a remote result of the pretence made. See 2 Russ. on Cr. 4th ed. pp. 618-700. The guilty knowledge and the "intent to defraud” are to be implied from the facts proved in evidence in the particular case; and the offence may be committed by means of an innocent agent. The following cases will bear out these positions, and in which the principal decisions on the subject are referred to and commented on:-R. v. Goodhall, R. & R. 461, and Reg. v. Lee (a promise to do a future act), 1 Leigh & Cave, C. C. 309; 8 Law T., N. S. 437; Reg. v. Waine (cheque not to be presented till a future day), 11 Cox, C. C. 647; 23 Law T., N. S. 748; Reg. v. Welman, 22 L. J. (N. S.) M. C. 120; Reg. v. Crossley, 2 M. & Rob. 18 (advance by way of loan); Reg. v. Roebuck, 1 Dears. & Bell, C. C. 24 (false metal); Reg. v. Jessop, 1 Dears. & B., C. C. 442; 30 Law T. 293; R. v. Sherwood, 1 Dears. & Bell, C. C. 251; 26 L. J. (N. S.) M. C. 81; R. v. Bryan, Id. 84; 1 Dears. & Bell, C. C. 265 (Elkington's plate); Reg. v. Ardley, 40 L. J. (N. S.) M. C. 85; 24 Law T., N. S. 193; Reg. v. Suter, 17 Law T., N. S. 177; Reg. v. Carter, and Reg. v. Hunter, Id. 321 ;—as to the weight or quality of an article, Reg. v. Burgon, 1 Dears. & Bell, C. C. 11, and Reg. v. Gardner, Id. 40, in both of which there were contracts between the parties. See also R. v. Mills, Id. 205; 29 Law T. 114: 26 L. J. (N. S.) M. C. 79; Reg. v. Watson, 27 L. J. (N. S.) M. C. 18; 30 Law T. 171; and Reg. v. Evans, 32 L. J. (N. S.) M. C. 38; 7 Law T., N. S. 307, as to frauds in relation to partnership accounts; Reg. v. Fry, 30 Law T. 293; 1 Dears. Page, &c. of Formulist. Where triable. As to Bail. Punishment. If Costs of Prosecution allowed. 195 Nos. Sessions (Note 57). Discretionary. Pen. serv. 5 yrs. ;— 196 191-193, impr. not exc. 2 yrs., [See Offence 241, tit. Pen. serv. 5 yrs. ;-or impr. not exc. 2 yrs., *["Valuable Security" Yes (s. 121, and 14 & 15 Vict. c.55, 8. 2, ante, p. 983). Yes (s. 121). & Bell, C. C. 449; Reg. v. West, Id. 575 (pretence accompanied by a promise); Reg. v. Evans, 1 Law T., N. S. 108; 29 L. J. (N. S.) M. C. 20; and Reg. v. Dowey, 11 Cox, C. C. 115; 17 Law T., N. S. 481 (notes of a country bank stopped payment); Reg. v. Goss, 1 Law T., N. S. 337; 29 L. J. (N. S.) M. C. 86; Reg. v. Ragg, Id. 86; Bell, C. C. 214; Reg. v. Eagleton, 24 L. J. (N. S.) M. C. 158; 1 Dears., C. Č. 515; Reg. v. Burnsides, 30 L. J. (N. S.) M. C. 42; 3 Law T., N. S. 311; Reg. v. Butcher, 1 Bell, C. C. 6; 28 L. J. (N. S.) M. C. 14; Reg. v. Bramley, 1 Leigh & Cave, C. C. 21; Reg. v. Moseley, 31 L.J. (N.S.) M. C. 24; 1 Leigh & Cave, C. C. 92; Reg. v. Jennison, 31 Law J. (N. S.) M. C. 146; 1 Leigh & Cave, C. C. 157; Reg. v. Thompson, 32 L. J. (N. S.) M. C. 57; Reg. v. Kerrigan, 33 L. J. (N. S.) M. C. 71; 1 Leigh & Cave, C. C. 383; Reg. v. Lee, 1 Leigh & Cave, C. C. 418; 10 Law T., N. S. 348; Reg. v. Naylor, 35 L. J. (N. S.) M. C. 61; 13 Law T., N. S. 381; Reg. v. Giles, 34 L. J. (N. S.) M. C. 50; 1 Leigh & Cave, C. C. 502; Reg. v. Martin, 36 L. J. (N. S.) M. C. 20, as to a continuing pretence. As to means and value of business, &c., see Reg. v. Howarth, 11 Cox, C. C. 588; Reg. V. Crabb, 18 Law T., N. S. 370; Reg. v. Meakin, 20 Law T., N. S. 544; Reg. v. William, 21 Law T., N. S. 444. As to remoteness of pretence, see Reg. v. Gardner, 1 Dears. & Bell, C. C. 140; 7 Law T., N. S. 471; Reg. v. Wilmot, 24 Law T., N. S. 758. In Reg. v. Hazelton, 44 L. J., M. C. 11, it was held that a man who gives a cheque for the amount of goods purchased in a ready money transaction, saying that he wishes to pay ready money, makes a representation that the cheque is a good and valid order for the amount inserted in it, and if such person has only a colourable amount at the bank on which the cheque is drawn without available assets to meet it, and has no authority to overdraw, and knows that the cheque will be dishonoured on presentation and intends to defraud, he may be convicted of obtaining such goods by false pretences. 56 Enactments as to Indictment, and Verdict-Offenders subject to Supervision of the Police.] By 24 & 25 Vict. c. 96, s. 88, it is provided, "that if, upon the trial of any person indicted for such misdemeanor, it shall be proved that he obtained the property in question in any such manner as to amount in law to larceny, he shall not by reason thereof be entitled to be acquitted of such misdemeanor;-and no person tried for such misdemeanor shall be liable to be afterwards prosecuted for larceny upon the same facts: -provided also, that it shall be sufficient in any indictment for obtaining or attempting OFFENCE. Class of Offence Statute or Authority. FALSE PRETENCES-continued. 198. Attempting to obtain property, as Offences 195, 197, supra, by any false pretence. [See Reg. v. Hensler, 22 Law T., N. S. 691.] [MEM. A conviction for larceny after a conviction for FALSIFICATION OF ACCOUNTS ACT, 1875. 198a. "If any clerk, officer or servant, or any person employed or acting in the capacity of a clerk, officer or servant, shall wilfully and with intent to defraud, destroy, alter, mutilate or falsify any book, paper, writing, valuable security or account which belongs to or is in the possession of his employer, or has been received by him for or on behalf of his employer, or shall wilfully and with intent to defraud make or concur in omitting any false entry in, or omit or alter, or concur in omitting or altering, any material particular from or in any such book, or any document or account, then in every such case the person so offending shall be guilty of a misdemeanor." FELONY. [MEM. By sect. 2 it is to be sufficient in any indictment 199. Misprision of felony-i.e. the concealment of a felony, [Attempt to commit, see titles "Attempts to Murder," FIREWORKS. See "Explosive Substances." 200. Nuisance by fireworks. [See Reg. v. Bennett, 1 Bell C. C. 1; 28 L. J. (N. S.) M. Common Law. M. 38 & 39 Vict. c. 24, s. 1. M. Common Law. See 23 & 24 Vict. c. 139. to obtain any such property by false pretences to allege that the party accused did the act with intent to defraud, without alleging an intent to defraud any particular person, and without alleging any ownership of the chattel, money, or valuable security;-and on the trial of any such indictment it shall not be necessary to prove an intent to defraud any particular person, but it shall be sufficient to prove that the party accused did the act charged with an intent to defraud." See hereon Reg. v. Bulmer, 33 L. J. (N. S.) M. C. 171; 1 Leigh & Cave, C. C. 476. If, however, the offender be indicted for a larceny, the jury cannot find him guilty if the offence upon the evidence turn out |
