Magistrate’s Court YEAR’S PRISON FOR ISSUING FALSE CHEQUES

Press, Volume C, Issue 29517, 19 May 1961, Page 8

Magistrate’s Court YEAR’S PRISON FOR ISSUING FALSE CHEQUES

I Eric Cleon Rush, aged 43, I who was described by his I counsel, Mr A. B. Harman, as j a mixture of good and bad. | was gaoled for one year. . by Mr A. P. Blair, j S.M.. in the Magistrate’s | Court yesterday when he appeared for sentence on 12 i charges of false pretences in | Christchurch between April 13 and April 17. j Rush pleaded guilty last iweek to all the offences, in I which he obtained money land goods valued at £B7 4s lOd by the issue of valueless cheques. Mr Harman said that Rush, after five Court appearances between 1949 and 1952, had kept out of trouble and had a good work record. His only fault, according to his employers, was his propensity to drink, which had become much more noticeable recently. Although drink had played some part in the offences, they were carefully planned by the accused. A prison term must be imposed, the Magistrate said. CORRECTIVE TRAINING Corrective training was imposed on Adrian Edward Raukawa, aged 21, when he appeared for sentence on a charge of housebreaking and theft at Rotorua on January 6. The Magistrate said Raukawa had had chances of reforming. His best chance now was a period of training. “You come from a good home and are intelligent, but you must learn to behave like a good citizen,” the Magistrate told Raukawa. Mr R. Twyneham, for Raukawa. said he had associated over a long period with undesirable companions. He , was very easily led into trouble, but might still be able to reform. BORSTAL TRAINING “You've used up all your chances, as you were put on probation a few months ago and now have fallen into crime again." said the Magistrate. when sentencing Wayne Gilbert Button, aged 18. to Borstal training. Sutton was appearing for sentence on a charge of receiving an overnight bag and leopard-skin belt on or about February 4 when he knew that the property had been stolen. Sutton pleaded guilty last week. The accused had taken no part in the conversion of the car from which the articles were taken, said Mr R. G. Blunt. His employers were willing to take him back. FINED £25 "When I first heard the facts I was convinced that you should be sent to gaol, but you have a good work record. If you come before the Court again that is what will happen to you,” said the Magistrate -when fining John Garrick Ferguson Pirie, aged 22. £25- on a charge of disorderly behaviour. He was appearing for sentence. Mr ,S. H. Wood, for the accused, said Pirie strongly denied that he had been “playing chicken” when he became involved with a car driver. Pirie and another young man were walking across the road from a house where a party was held. The accused did not deliberately stand in front of the oncoming car and then jump out Of the way. Pirie abused the driver when the car passed very close to him, Mr Wood said The driver stopped, and an argument ensued. The driver struck Pirie a light blow as he drove off. Pirie took a glass from his top pocket and threw it in the open window. He realised it was a stupid thing to do. but it was his only means of retaliation. He was chastened and contrite. The Magistrate said that Mr Wood had only stated what he had been instructed, and' that it was not sworn evidence. SUSPENDED SENTENCE A former security guard at the R.N.Z.A.F. station. Wigram. Alan Edwin Boilington. aged 53. was ordered j to come up for sentence i within 12 months if called I upon and was ordered to pay £lO towards the cost of prosecution and to make restitution of £6 9s when he appeared for sentence on charges of breaking and entering the sergeants’ mess at Wigram on May 4 and of breaking and entering the mess on April 26 and committing theft. Boilington, who was represented by Mr M. F. Hobbs, pleaded guilty to the two charges last week. “‘This is a most unfortunate case, as the accused is of unblemished character,” Mr Hobbs sSid. “There was no reason why he should break the law after leading a blameless life of 53 years. He was employed as a security guard on the station and had access to all the buildings. and this makes the offence all the more inexplicable. “Bollington has said that the offences were suggested by another person whom he refuses to name. He will be discharged from the Air Force, and this will be a considerable blow to a man of his age.” said Mr Hobbs. “I am going to assume that this sort of thing will never happen again.” said the Magistrate when imposing sentence. Last week the police said that Boilington entered the sergeants’ mess by forcing the lock with a piece of celluloid. OBSCENE LANGUAGE “I would like to know* who the cop was who cut my lip.” said DempseyDavies. aged 17. a workman, when asked by the Magistrate if he had anything to say in his defence. Davies was appearing on charges of using obscene language and being drunk at the Christchurch Railway Station on

Wednesday. He pleaded guilty. The Magistrate remanded Davies to May 25 for sentence. An order was made that he be kept away from other prisoners. Sergeant Matson said that the accused was found in a carriage of the InvercargillChristchurch express. He was drunk, and when a constable tried to arrest him there was a struggle and the obscene language was used. There were many persons on the platform. SUSPENDED SENTENCE Appearing for sentence for stealing a transistor radio, valued at £22 10s, from Manchester Radios. Ltd., on November 7, Viola Anne Dunford. aged 18. was ordered to come up for sentence within six months if called on. Restitution of £5 was ordered. Mr R. G. Blunt appeared for Dunford. He said that the accused admitted pawning the radio, but -when she did so she did not know it was stolen. CHARGE DISMISSED Although it was difficult to believe that Elisabeth Petrovic had an innocent mind and was forgetful when she left the Self Help Co-op’s store in Edgeware road without paying for groceries she put into her bag, she would be given the benefit of the doubt, the Magistrate said. He dismissed a charge against Petrovic, aged 34, a rubber worker (Mr G. Rountree), of theft of groceries valued at £2 7s 7d on March 24. She pleaded not guilty. Sydney Raymond Eastgate, staff supervisor of the Self Help Co-op., said that while he kept watch from the rear of the shop he saw Petrov ic collect items from the shelves. Some she placed m a wire basket provided by the store, and others in her bag. She left the shop after paying only for the goods in the wire basket, valued at £1 17s lOd. She was stopped outside the shop and asked to return. Detective-Constable J. W. Wooders said that when he went to the shop Petrovic told him she had taken the goods and that she would “pay for them now.” She was very upset. A statement was produced by the police in which Petrovic said that after paying for the goods in the wire basket she remembered nothing else until she found herself being interviewed at the detective’s office. Dr. P. S. Cook, a psychiatrist, called by Mr Rountree, said he considered Petrovic suffered from a depressive illness. One of the symptoms was a lack of concentration. It was quite feasible that Petrovic had taken the goods during a lack of concentration in which she forgot her duty to pay for them. The accused in evidence referred to trouble she and her husband had had in Germany. and since arriving in New Zealand 10 years ago. She had become very forgetful since an operation last year, she said, INDECENT ASSAULTS Fines totalling £ 100 were imposed on Cyril Hoey Wells, aged 40, when he appeared for sentence on four charges of indecent assault, committed on two males on April 12 and 14. Wells's counsel. Mr A. Hearn, said he had led a blameless life until these offences. The Magistrate said the cure was in Wells's own hands. He would assume that the shame of his Court appearance and the publicity would deter him. Wells was fined £5O on each of the two indecent assault charges, one on April 12 and one on April 14. and was convicted and discharged on the other two. IMPRISONMENT On two charges of unlawfully taking a truck at Lyttelton on April 3, Edward Brand was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment. Brand, aged 29. was appearing for sentence. The Magistrate said that he had gone very carefully into the accused's record. He said he had convicted him earlier this year for car conversion. and of £75 restitution that had been ordered only £5 had been paid. SHOPLIFTING A girl aged 17 was convicted and fined £lO on a charge of stealing four pairs of stockings from the New Zealand Farmers’ Co-opera-tive Association’s store in Cashel street on April 13. The girl, whose name was suppressed, pleaded guilty. An order was made for the return of the property. The girl, in the company of another girl, was seen at the hosiery counter of the shop examining stockings, said Sergeant T. A. A. Marson. On leaving the shop she dropped four packets of stockings on to the floor. She nicked them up and then left, he said. When interviewed. the accused admitted that she had taken the stockings without paying for them. Sergeant Marson said Mr R G Blunt, who appeared for the accused said that she had just obtained a new job and it was in the best interest that her name be suppressed. HOTEL RAID When he visited the Yaldhurst Hotel in a police party at 9 p.m. on March 18 there was a general exodus from the rear of the premises, said Constable E. A. Polson. Before the Court was the licensee of the hotel. Albert John Robert Johnson, on a charge of selling liquor after hours. He pleaded guilty and was represented by Mr D. Hodgins. Two other charges of exposing liquor for sale after hours and of being onen after hours were withdrawn. He was fined £lO As a result of the police

visit the following were! fined £3 for being on the) premises: Dennis John: Alsop, Reginald William! Curtin, Irene Jackson, Rita! Lake, Gary Desmond Lee. Thomas Joseph Riddell, and ; Patrick Michael Ford. OTHER LICENSING BREACHES For being found on licens-i' ed premises after hours the: following were fined £3:—l lan Vessey Bigham. Emile Eugene Dalzell. Nancy Col-! leen Dalzell. William Thomas! Moore, Hector Lachlan Mc-| Innes and John Reginald i Savill. For supplying liquor to a! minor on March 18 Albert William Kennedy and Lancelot Cooper Benson were each . fined £ 10. For being found in a hotel while under age. Avril Barlow was fined £2 and David Frank Robinson £l. Frederick Bernard Charles Watts was fined £4 for drinking liquor in a public place while he teas under the age of 21. BREACH OF RENTAL CAR REGULATIONS Noel Smythe, aged 25. a driver in the Army Service 1 Corps, Burnham, pleaded 1 guilty to a breach of the Rental Vehicle Hire Regulations by disconnecting a speedometer on a rental car. owned by Midland Motorways Services, Ltd., on April 10. He was fined £l2. Sergeant V. F. Townshend! 1 said police questioned Smythe ! after a complaint that the i speedometer had been tampered with. He admitted disconnecting the speedometer so that a trip of 48 miles was not registered. REMANDED Daniel Mata Tinsley, aged 28 <Mr B. J. Drake! was remanded to May 25 on bail on a charge of car conversion. Donald Bruce Strachan was remanded on bail to Mav 25 on a charge of unlawfully converting a car on March 19. Barry Eoin Bedwell was further remanded to June 1 on a charge of being an accessory to the receiving of stolen property on January 18. Bail was renewed. Gavin William Annett. aged 21. was remanded to June 18 on a charge of being found in possession of a dangerous ■weapon on March 29. He was represented by Mr G. R Lascelles. On a charge of arson at Christchurch on April 24 Barry Thomas Jack, aged 17. was remanded to May 25. Mr G. T. Mahon appeared for the accused. Leonard Noel Forsyth, aged 43 (Mr R. G. Blunt! elected trial by jury on a charge of theft of £l2 on May 2. He ■was remanded on bail to May 24 for the taking of depositions. Oswald Spencer, aged 34. ■was remanded on bail until May 25 on a charge of steal-1 1 ing £49 3.s on April 12. 1 (Before Mr Raymond Ferner. S.M.) ASSAULT i “I am satisfied that the complainant was assaulted , with some severity,” said the Magistrate when he con- ■ victed Ivan John Rickerby. aged 27. a butcher (Mr R k. Godfrey), of assaulting : Robert Mark O'Loughlin, the caretaker of the Adding- . ton Show Grounds, about ■ 10.25 pm, on April 1. The offence occurred just inside . the show grounds gates. The Magistrate said though I the accused had no legal 1 right to be there it was an , innocent occasion. The man- ! ner of the complainant probably led to the incident. 1 "Observed when giving evi- 1 dence. he had indeed a surly j manner.” i The accused, who pleaded not guilty, was ordered to ■ pav costs only. The complainant said he I found four men standing by 1 a car just inside the main ( gates. He asked them what they were doing there, and a < fight ensued, he said. Witnesses for the defence)) said Rickerby and three others went into the show : grounds after his sister's wedding to look for the car in which she and her husband were to go away. “We j found it and were tying) boots to the carrier when ! the bridegroom caught us.”! said the accused. The accused's brother.. Edgar Charles Rickerby,) said they were standing) around joking about this when O’Loughlin arrived. CHARGE REDUCED A charge of dangerous driving on which John Bray (Mr A. Hearn) was convicted on April 13 was reduced to one of driving without due care and attention when it was reheard. The fine of £l5 imposed on April 13 remained, but Bray's licence will not be cancelled, as was originally | ordered. OTHER TRAFFIC OFFENCES ! Other traffic offenders were: fined as follows: xixceeding 30 miles an hour; William John Wells. £3: Leo Cyril Beri, £4 (no safety helmet, £2); Garry Ernest Birch. £3; Murray Meikle Boulton, £3; Alexander Gavin Brown, £3: Stephen George Denney. £4; Brian Dooley. £4. Mary Moore Evans, £2; Laurence Patrick Marker. £4; Timothy Richard Hall, £2 (no safely helmet. £3|; Douglas Albert Hawker. £4 (no safety helmet. £2i; Helen Robyn Newland, £3; Patrick Sarsfield Kortegast. £5; Eric Trevor Kerr. £5 (no safety helmet. £2); Ronald Edgar Mackley, £2; Denzil Morris 1 Melhopt, £2; George William Murray. £3; Gary Jones Palmer. £2; Dennis Sydney Pell, £2: Lindon Bruce Quigley, £4; > Harry Mathew Roiall. £5: John| Thomas. £3: Olwyn Vogan, £3; Derk Jan Wynveld. £3. No warrant of fitness: John Michael Lester (two charges. £1 1 on eachi: Gilbert Bevan Me- 1 Alister. £2 (exceeding 30 miles! an hour, £3>; Robert Alexander! McCabe. £2: Geoffrey William I Mackinson, £1 10s (exceeding! 30 miles an hour, £3). Driving with insufficient lights: Douglas John Stonehouse, £3; Donald Bruce Turner, £2 (no warrant of fitness. £1). Breach of goods service licence: Gordon Ernest Benfell. £6. Exceeding 30 miles an hour without a safety helmet: Michael John White. £2. i Failing to stop at stop sign ■ j John Campbell, £3. Exceeding heavy traffic j