Magistrate’s Court Man Admits Collecting Money By False Pretences

Press, Volume C, Issue 29649, 20 October 1961, Page 18

Magistrate’s Court Man Admits Collecting Money By False Pretences

Posing as a member of the Junior Chamber of Commerce collecting money to provide television sets for aged people’s homes in Christchurch, a man obtained £5 2s from houses in St Albans, Cashmere and Fendalton, said Sergeant E. S. Tuck in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Mr E. S. J. Crutchley, SM, was on the Bench. Edward Murray Moore, aged 22, unemployed, was remanded in custody to October 26 when he pleaded guilty to two charges of being a rogue and a vagabond in that he posed as a collector of funds for the Aged People’s Welfare Council. On October 10 and 11 the police and the president of the Aged People’s Welfare Council received several complaints that a man was collecting contributions to buy television sets for old people's homes in Christchurch, Sergeant Tuck said At 2.30 pm. on October 11 Moore was apprehended as he was coming out of a house in Dyers Pass road. He admitted he was the collector about whom the complaints had been received. Sergeant Tuck said that all the money had been recovered. Moore’s only explanation was that he was short of money and was in arrears for the rent of his flat where he lived with his ■wife and young child. He had previous convictions, largely relating to dishonesty. ASSAULT CHARGE John Donnelly, aged 23, a truck driver (Mr B. J. Drake), pleaded not guilty to a charge of assaulting Ronald Alfred Prince, a salesman, on October 9. Tne case was adjourned to today after the prosecution evidence had been heard. Donnelly was allowed bail The accused lived in a house opposite him, Prince said. On October 1, by a previous arrangement, he and the accused went to another house to do a painting job. Prince said that Donnelly had been a lazy worker and had whistled at girls gomg past It had been agreed that Donnelly would be paid £3 for the work. On October 7 he paid him £2 10s because of his bad work. But rather than tell him he was lazy he said he had deducted 10s for taxation. Donnelly's wife made inquiries about the taxation and found the 10s had not been deducted for that. On October 9 about 8 p.m. Donnelly came to his home and an argument took place. Prince said he was knocked to the ground and when he got up he was hit again. To Mr Drake, Prince said he thought there was nothing offensive in saying to Donnelly that all Pommies were lazy. Mr Drake submitted that the matter should never have come before the Court. There were conflicts In the evidence and the witnesses were not reliable. The case was then adjourned to today.

"DRUNKEN SPREE" Warwick Stanley Stevenson, aged 20, a teaman and Stanley Thornton, aged 27, a seaman, were remanded in custody to October 26 for sentence when they pleaded guilty to a number of charges resulting from what their counsel (Mr G. R. Lascelles) described as a drunken spree at Lyttelton on October 16. Stevenson faced two charges of assault on a female, one charge of wilful damage one charge of assault, one charge of resisting arrest, and one charge of obtaining credit by fraud. Thornton faced a charge of assault on a female, a charge of resisting arrest, a charge of obtaining credit bv fraud, and a charge of wilful damage. Sergeant Tuck said that on October 16 the Lyttelton police received a complaint from a girl that she had been assaulted in Norwich quay. Later they received a complaint from a Lyttelton hotel that an elderly barman had been assaulted, and that the men responsible were still on the premises. When Stevenson and Thornton were arrested in connexioa with this they became vio'ent, and some force had to be used. It was found that the accused had accosted a girl near a restaurant in Norwich quay and tried to drag her into an alley, but she escaped when the restaurant proprietor approached. They then ordered a meal in the restaurant and later refused to pay for ft. They left the restaurant and outside Stevenson assaulted another girl and tried to drag her into, the alley, but bystanders prevented him. It was then about 5 p m Restitution of 12s 8d from Thornton and £1 13s from Stevenson was requested said Sergeant Tuck. SERIES OF OFFENCES Four youths, who admitted a senes of offences involving the unlawful taking of cars, interfering with ears, attempted shopbreaking, shopbreaking, and counting-house breaking, were remanded in custody to October 26 for sentence They are Noel James Quirke. aged 20. a panel beater. Malcolm George Johnston, aged 18. a laundryman. Bruce Anthony Briggs, aged 20 a machinist, and Ronald Anthony Dick, aged 18. a workman. Au have previous convictions Mr G. R. Lascelles appeared for Quirke and Mr B. J. Drake for Johnston. The other two accused were not represented by counsel The four accused pleaded guilty to two joint charges of interfering with a motor-vehicle and to two of unlawfully taking a motor-vehicle. Briggs and Dick pleaded guilty to a joint charge of attempting to break into the shop of the New Zealand Farmers’ Co-operative Association. Ltd at Hawarden, and Quirke and Johnston pleaded not guilty. Dick and Briggs pleaded guilty to a charge of breaking and entering the counting-house of the Sefton Post Office with Intent to commit a crime, and Johnston and Quirke pleaded not guilty. Johnston pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawfully taking a car and to one of shopbreaking He pleaded not guilty to a charge of obtaining a drivers licence at Invercargill while disqualified. The accused were remanded to October 26 on the charges to which they pleaded not guilty. Sergeant Tuck said after meeting In the Square the four

accused walked about, the streets and took a car from Coleridge street to go to Hawarden. This was found abandoned outside the Sefton Post Office. A lawnmower in the back of the car was thrown out and damaged. A car was interfered with at Hawarden and damaged to the extent of £lO. THREE MONTHS’ GAOL Three months* imprisonment was imposed on Francis Edwin Wallace Hovell, aged 21, when he appeared for sentence, on a joint charge of attempted shopbreaking at New Brighton on September 20. The prison term is to be followed by 12 months’ probation. John Arthur Adams, aged 19, and Douglas Richard Tranter, aged 17. were each admitted to two years' probation, ordered to pay £lO towards the cost of the prosecution, and ordered to make restitution of 15s on the same charge. For Tranter, Mr P. N. Joyce said the accused had consumed too much liquor and gave in to a sudden impulse to commit a crime. The other two accused were not represented by counsel. The Magistrate said that Hovell was already on probation for theft committed in 1960 and he would have to learn that he would pay for his offences. THEFTS OF CLOTHING A young woman was remanded on bail to October 31 for sentence on a charge of receiving children's clothing valued at £l2 Ils 6d. She pleaded guilty. Her name was suppressed. Sergeant B. D. Read said that the clothing had been obtained from a friend who worked at a large store. The friend had brought the clothing home from her work. Two other women were remanded on bail for sentence to October 31 in connexion with the same incidents. They pleaded guilty and their names were suppressed. One was charged with receiving children's clothing valued at £2B 8s 4d. and the other was charged with theft to the value of £47 19s. Sergeant Read said that all the clothing had been recovered. POWER CYCLE THEFT

After the police were informed that a power-cycle was being stripped in a house in Riccarton. they were refused permission to make a search. They returned with a search warrant, and parts of a powercycle were found over a back fence, said Sergeant Bead. William Alexander Jarden, aged 19, unemployed (Mr B. J. Drake), pleaded guilty to the theft of a power-cycle valued at £BO. He was remanded In custody to October 26 for sentence. An order was made that he be kept apart from the other prisoners. The power-cycle was taken from outside the Waltham Arms Hotel, Sergeant Read said. Other parts of trie machine were found in the Heathcote river and near Cart ton Mill road Repairs and reassembly would cost £33. Jarden had no previom convictions. TWO YEARS’ PROBATION "You are going to suffer heavily for your actions, as you will make restitution of £306 6s for damage to the car, and £7 10s for the damage/to the pole,” the Magistrate said; when admitting Johnny Lofty Boroevfch. aged 20, a soldier, to probation for two years. Boroevich was appearing for sentence on a charge of unlawfully taking a oar at New Brighton on October 15. The oar crashed into a pole and was extensively damaged. "Car conversion Is a serious offence and usually calls for imprisonment, but as you have no previous convictions you will be given a chance,” said the Magistrate. SUSPENDED SENTENCE Peter William Stanislaus Rush Jobson, aged 30, was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence within 12 months, if called upon, when he appeared for sentence on a charge of committing an indecedent act on July Mr B. G. Dingwall, for Jobson, said the accused was a member of a respectable family, had a good record, and up until a short time ago led a blameless life. The doctor who examined him said the offence was not caused by psychopathic or criminal tendencies, but was attributable to a state of depression caused by family worries. The girl concerned had not been harmed. The Court took Into account the medical report, said the Magistrate when imposing sentence. IDLE AND DISORDERLY "This is the second time you have appeared on this charge, but it is reported that you are a good worker if you want to be, so you will be given one last chance,” said the Magistrate to Josephine Martha Ann Told, aged 19, when she appeared tor sentence on a charge at being idle and disorderly. Toki was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence within 12 months, if called upon. CHARGE DISMISSED A charge against a young man whose name was suppressed of stealing three packets of cigarettes, valued at Bs, was dismissed under section 42 at the Criminal Justice Act. Mr W. F. Brown, who appeared for the accused, produced two medical reports, and applied for discharge under section 42. CAR DEALER FTNE& Mark Alfred Cook, a motorvehicle dealer, was fined £5 on eactf charge when he pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to keep a record of a transaction and a charge of failing to display his name on his business premises. . STOLE CAR RADIO lan Edward Pattison aged 28. a workman (Mr B. J. Drake), was remanded on bail to October 26 foe sentence on a charge of stealing a car radio valued at £2O. Sergeant Tuck said that Pattison stole the radio from a van parked in a hotel yard on September 23. When later interviewed by detectives he had a rental car parked outside the police station, and the radio was found in the car. CHARGES ADJOURNED Charges of keeping liquor for aratori Barry Gamble. Leonard Alfred Edney. and Roger Wickes were adjourned to Noyember 16. Each defendant faced one charge on each count. REMANDED fr’®® Keith Harris was remanded on bail to November 2 on » charge of assaulting Prier Moor at Cheviot on October 11 so as to cause him actual bodily harm. Harold Dickinson, aged « a Kingsley, all of whom were by Mr R. G. Blunt, were remanded in custody to October 24 on a charge of TRfiST SStPW. ■JK, «™a»ded on bail to October 25 for the taking ot «>h jtharges of arson •nd theft involving r? io, (Before Mr Raymond Ferner. * S.M.) YOUTHS SENTENCED Appearing for sentence on two chargee of assault to a Svdemham fish shop on October T. Russel George Webster, aged 19. an apprentice fitter, was fined

£lO on each charge, and the present period of his probation, was extended for IB months. He was convicted of the charges earlier this week. For the accused. Mr R. G. Blunt said that he now realised the seriousness of the offences, although at the time he had been under the impression that his gtrl friend had been insulted. Webster had been dux of his school and a Canterbury Rugby League representative, and nad a good work record, said Mr Blunt. The Magistrate said that before seeing the probation officer's report on Webster he had intended to send him to prison. A fine of £,’“, with extension of his probation for 18 months, was Imposed on David William McDonald, aged 19, a press hand, who was also appearing for sentence on a charge of assault at the same fish shop on October 10. Mr P. G. S. Penlington, who appeared for McDonald, said that his client’s behaviour could not be condoned, and that his intended engagement in the near future would impose some responsibility on him. "I think you were a substantial reuse of the mischief in the shop,” the Magistrate told McDonald. Both accused were ordered to pay £5 of their fines to one of trie persons assaulted for damage to his clothes. THEFT OF TIMBER A charge against Noel Townsend, aged 22, a drainlayer, of theft of 350 super feet of timber, valued at £7 12s, from N. Caldwell, Ltd., at a building site at the Burwood Hospital, on September 9. was held to be proved by the Magistrate. The charge was adjourned until next week for a probation officer’s report on Townsend and sentence. In evidence Townsend admitted taking the timber, but said he had been told by a 14-year-old boy, who helped him to load the timber and who had worked on the site during the school holidays, that it was all right to take it. The managing director and foreman of the company said they allowed employees to take off-cuts from the site, but not the type of timber the accused had taken. CHARGE DISMISSED A charge against John Threipland McKitterick, aged 21, an apprentice mechanic, of assaulting Ronald James Millar in a Sydenham fish shop on October 7 was dismissed. McKitterick (Mr J. H. F. MacFarlane) denied the charge. Evidence was given by Kevin Barry Trainor that he saw McKitterick kick Millar in the back while he was lying on the floor of the fish shop. There was another fight going on to the fish shop at the time, said the witness. In dismissing the charge, the Magistrate said it had not been proved that McKitterick was the person who kicked Millar.

SAILOR FINED Tso Hing Wgo, a sailor’s boy on the m.v. Amalric, was fined £25 on a charge of having to his possession dutiable or restricted goods while the Amalric was berthed at Bluff on October 14. He pleaded not guilty and was not represented by counsel. TRAFFIC CASES On traffic charges brought by the Transport Department offenders were dealt with as follows: Exceeding 30 miles an hour: Robert Charles Goding, £3; Harold Lewis Harvey, £2; William Douglas Sherman, £5; Trevor John Sheriff, £3; Peter George Hoey Swan, £lO and licence suspended for five months: John Gardiner Chambers. £lO (failing to stop at compulsory stop, £3). Failed to stop at stop sign: Allan William Bacon, £4; Thomas Ralph Beauford, costs only; Alfred George Pankhurst, £2; John Gordon Rutherford, £2, Exceeded axle weight on classified road: R. R. Price, Ltd., £25; Ryan Bros., Ltd., £3 (exceeding heavy traffic licence, £10). Failed to keep to left: Gerald Dickinson, £8 and licence suspended for three months. No warrant of fitness: Evan Barry Coates, £2; Neil Robertson Coles. £2 (wrong class of driver's licence. £3). Failed to give signal when turning: Chalmers Jackson, £2. Parking offences: Hilton Mako. £3; Ronald Charles Scott, £2; Richard Edward Joseph Hardman, £2 (no warrant of fitness, two charges. £2 on each). Failed to give information: George William Murray, £5. Trailer not safely secured to car: Brian Thomas Shatford, Crossed against traffic lights: lan Gordon McLellan, £3. Breach of goods service licence: William Robert Humm, £3. Registration plates not affixed: Hugh Bassette Driver. £2. No certificate of fitness on heavy motor-vehicle: Neil S. Combe. £3. Supplied false information: Allan Thomas Bates £3. Exceeded heavy traffic licence: Walter James Baker, Ltd., £3. No front number plate on motor-cycle: Robert Owen Bain, £3; Paul Gurney Norris, £2. (Before Mr A. P. Blair. S.M.) CASE ADJOURNED After two police witnesses had been heard in a charge against Eric George Gillan of theft of a felt hat, valued at £2 8s lid, the case was adjourned until today. Gillan (Mr G. R. Lascelles) pleaded not guilty. The theft was alleged to have occurred at the Brown Owl Cafe in Manchester street, on December