Magistrate's Court Explanation By Defendant “Quite Unacceptable”

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28980, 22 August 1959, Page 17

Magistrate's Court Explanation By Defendant “Quite Unacceptable”

The defendant’s explanation that his car was apparently taken from outside the place where he was visiting, was involved in an accident with another car, and was then returned to its original place seemed so impossible as to be quite unacceptable, said' Mr Raymond Ferner, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, when he found Russell Bernard Lepper, a block-layer (Mr R. L. Maclaren), guilty of failing to stop after an accident, failing to report damage to another vehicle, driving without due care and attention, and having no warrant of fitness, on April 20. For failing to stop he was fined £lO, and his driving licence was suspended for three months. On the charges of failing to report damage and driving without due care and attention fines of £5 were imposed. He pleaded not guilty to these charges. For having no warrant, to which he pleaded guilty, he was fined £2. (Before Mr N. M. Izard, S.M.) i CHARGE DISMISSED A Post and Telegraph Department car which was involved in a collision at the corner of Oxford terrace and Hereford street during heavy rain on the dark night of April 4 had only its parking lights on, said Thomas Kahi, a shoe machinist. Kahi, for whom Mr K. J. McMenamin appeared, pleaded not guilty to a charge of failing to give way. Giving evidence of the collision, a Post and Telegraph Department employee, John Harry Eden, said that he had turned the lights of the department’s car on before driving it out of the yard in Hereford street Dismissing the charge, the Magistrate said that he considered the failing to give way was not the fault of the defendant. £2 FINE Cycling past a parked car in Tuam street on June 18, a woman was knocked off her bicycle when Kelvin William Victor, aged 24, a salesman, opened the car door. “He just opened the door and sent me flying into the middle of the road. I suffered a badly bruised leg and my hand was skinned and bleeding,” said the woman, Mrs Olive Mercer, in evidence. Victor, who did not appear, was fined £2 on a charge of opening a car as to cause injury. OTHER TRAFFIC CHARGES On other traffic charges brought by the police, the following per-

sons were convicted and fined:—

Driving without due care and attention: Ronald Mayfield Cridge, £2; John Francis Hayhurst, £l. Failing to stop within half clear distance: Herbert John Black, £3 (no warrant of fitness, costs only). Operating unlicensed motorvehicle: Frederick David Orchard, £3 (no warrant of fitness, £2). Failing to give way: Lazor Trbojevic, £3. Not displaying L plates on motor-cycle: Richard Eric Pocock, £l. No warrant of fitness: Frank Dykes. £2; Raymond Michael Journee, £2. REMANDED Charged with breaking and entering and theft, three youths, one aged 17 (Mr B. J. Drake), one aged 18 (Mr A. F. Wilding), and one aged 19 (Mr R. S. D. Twyneham), who were granted interim suppression of their names, were remanded to August 27. Each youth was granted bail in the sum of £lOO with a surety of £lOO, and was ordered to report to the police daily.