Gaol For Man Who Drove While Intoxicated After Converting Car

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27928, 27 March 1956, Page 8

Gaol For Man Who Drove While Intoxicated After Converting Car

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

A man, who was under the influence of drink when he left a party early on Sunday morning, got into a parked motor-car and drove away. The car did not belong to him and he had no driver’s licence. He was James Aranui, aged 27, a labourer, who appeared before Mr L. N. Ritchie, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday and pleaded guilty to charges that on March 25 he drove a motor-car in Moorhouse avenue while he was under the influence of drink, that he unlawfully converted a motorcar, valued at £145, the property of Lance Frederick Butler, and that he did not have a driver’s licence.

On the first charge he was sentenced to seven days’ imprisonment and he was disqualified from obtaining a driver’s licence for 18 months. On the second charge he was remanded to March 29 for sentence, pending a report by the Probation Officer. On the third charge he was convicted and discharged. Sub-Inspector C. H. Reardon said that Aranui went to a party in Lyttelton street late on Saturday night. When he left after midnight he saw a car parked in the street. He got into this car and drove it away. In Moorhouse avenue he was caught by the owner, who had been told that his car had been taken. The police were called and they considered that Aranui was under the influence of drink. He was taken to the Central Police Station, where he was examined by a doctor and certified as unfit to drive, though not a bad case. “Drink was the cause of all the trouble here,” said Sub-Inspector Reardon. THEFT OF SHOTGUN “You are a complete enigma to me,” said the Magistrate when John James Kennedy, aged 20. a labourer, appeared for sentence on a charge that on March

1G at Hanmer Springs he stole a shotgun valued at £45.

Kennedy was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence within 12 months if called upon.

“I am not satisfied of the truth of your rather fantastic journeys, to which you lay claim, round the world,” said the Magistrate. “As far as is known, this is your first offence. The Probation Officer says he would recommend probation but you are desirous of returning to Australia. I have no desire to prevent this laudable desire on your part.” PRISON FOR STEALING LEMONS John Leadbeater, aged 61, a cook (Mr H. S. Thomas), appeared for sentence on a charge of stealing lemons and a cucumber, valued at 3s, from a shop in Colombo street. He was sentenced to seven days’ imprisonment. Mr Thomas said it was an obviously foolish act. Leadbeater did not know what happened. All he knew was that he was drunk. He had been fortunate enough to get a job that day and was celebrating it. The Probation Officer’s report that Leadbeater was “punch drunk” and suffered from other troubles was borne out by his conduct. He had had a serious operation for an ulcer and would need another operation. Though he had a considerable list, this offence was not a serious matter and the Court should extend leniency. The Probation Officer’s report was most revealing, said the Magistrate. Leadbeater had been twice on probation and had a deferred sentence twice. He had also been sentenced to a total of eight years’ imprisonment. He had 29 convictions apart from those for drunkenness and he had 26 convictions in Australia. He had been declared a habitual offender and if he appeared again on a serious offence he would probably be sent to the Supreme Court for a sentence of preventive detention. OF MONEY Leslie Joseph Middleton, aged 25, a labourer (Mr B. J. Drake), appeared for sentence on a charge of stealing £l3 2s in money on December 19. He was fined £lO and admitted to probation for two years on condition that he makes immediate restitution of £l3 2s. Mr Drake said that Middleton went to Australia to inquire about a job. He returned to New Zealand and admitted the theft. He had paid £l3 2s into counsel’s trust account and that sum was available for restitution. Though Middleton’s record was not an encouraging one, the Court might give him another chance as he wanted to meet his family obligations. He had not had the benefit of probation in New Zealand. “You came here as a youth. Middleton, after a disreputable list of convictions in England,” said the Magistrate. “You kept up your lamentable conduct in New Zealand. You received a term of Borstal detention and later reformative detention. This was a mean, despicable theft and deserves imprisonment, but I will give you another chance.” CONVERTED MOTOR-CYCLE Keith Moera Cummings, aged 25, a labourer, who appeared for sentence on charges of unlawfully converting a motor-cycle at Papakura on May 4, 1955, and of committing a breach of the terms of his probation, was sentenced to a total of four months’ imprisonment.

The Magistrate said that when Cummings converted the motor-cycle he was still on probation for countinghouse breaking and theft. He escaped from Ardmore barracks while being detained for being absent without leave and he and another defaulter took the motor-cycle to facilitate their escape. The Magistrate said he would take into account that Cummings had enlisted in K Force and also that he had voluntarily surrendered to the police.

Cunmmings was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment on the first charge and one month’s imprisonment on the second, the sentences to be cumulative.

\ UNLAWFUL CARNAL KNOWLEDGE A man, whose name was ordered not to be published meantime and who was represented by Mr W. G. P Cunmgham, pleaded guilty to unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl aged 15 years and 6 months.

He was nynanded on bail of £lOO and one surety of £lOO to March 29 for sentence pending a report by the Probation Officer.

THEFT OF LEMONADE A man, whose name was ordered not to be published and who was represented by Mr H. S. Thomas, pleaded guilty to stealing bottles of lemonade and ginger beer valued at 3s 6d. He was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence within 12 months if called upon. ~ Sub-Inspector C. H. Reardon, giving the details of the theft, said that the man had never previously been 'in trouble.

FOUND DRUNK Ihomas John Ballantyne, aged 37 pleaded guilty to being found drunk in Colombo street, having been twice previously convicted of a similar offence within the last six months. . He was fined £5, in default 10 days’ imprisonment. J

MOTORIST SENT TO PRISON Albert Thomas Wood, aged 52 a farmhand (Mr N. H. Buchanan), pleaded guilty to a charge that he ™° Ve L a motor-car in Selwyn street on March 23 while he was under the influence of drink.

He was sentenced to seven days’ imprisonment. His driver’s licence was cancelled and he was disqualified from obtaining another for 18 months Sub-Inspector c. H. Reardon said that at 5.40 p.m. on March 23, Traffic Officer Hammett, of the Christchurch City Council traffic department, saw a car being driven south along Selwyn street. It was swerving in and out of the middle line. The traffic officer overtook the car and found that it was driven by Wood, who was under the influence of drink. Wood was arrested and .taken to the police station. He was examined by Dr. F. L. Scott, who certified him as unfit to drive because of drink, but said that he was not a bad case. Mr Buchanan submitted that it was almost a borderline case and did not warrant imprisonment. Wood looked after a property in the country and had to attend to stock. His disqualification from driving would be a severe hardship to him and to his wife and family. The Magistrate said that the doctor did not make it a borderline case. It could not be distinguished from other cases of the kind. REMANDED. A man, whose name was ordered not to be published meantime and for whom Mr W. F. Brown appeared, was remanded on bail for one day on a charge of stealing small sums of money from a church. A young man, whose name was ordered not to be published and who was represented by Mr A. D. Holland, was remanded on bail by consent to April 11 on a charge of unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl under the age of 16.