Magistrate’s Court Two Years’ Probation For False Pretences

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29894, 7 August 1962, Page 12

Magistrate’s Court Two Years’ Probation For False Pretences

Cohn John Cameron, aged 36, a shearer, was placed on probaiion for two years and was ordered to make restitution of £7O 4s and to pay £2O towards the cost of prosecution by Mr E. A. Lee, SM.. I in the Magistrate's Court yes- : lerday. Cameron was appearing for sentence on 10 charges of false pretences and one of obtaining credit by fraud. The offences were a result of Cameron's failure to face the position into which he had got himself, said Mr R. G. Blunt. He had been in prison for about a month, but that was partly because of his maintenance problems. When he was arrested Cameron was going away in a shearing gang with his brothers, and he would earn good money. Mr Blunt said Cameron was not much use to his creditors or wife in gaol. The amount involved in the charges was hot as great as it might have been The accused had used his own name when making out the cheques. “In view of what your counsel says I am persuaded to place you on probation." said the Magistrate "These are serious offences, and you have had a lucky escape from prison. Don’t try it again." BURGLARY Appearing for sentence on a charge of burglary of a doctor's rooms on May 18. a man, whose name was suppressed. was placed on pro- , bation for two years and ordered to make restitution of £24 19s 2d He pleaded guilty to tlie charge some time ago. and was represented by Mr G R. Lascelles. Mr Lascelles said there were exceptional reasons for the accused's appearance before the Court. The accused had had an excellent education. but had not had a happy youth. He married to get some of the affection and stability he had lacked in his youth, but the marriage was most unhappy, and there had been a continual round of court appearances over maintenance and custody of a child of the marriage. The environment of the wife and the child was a constant worry to the accused, and the conduct of his wife also gave him grounds for concern. A doctor had been treating the accused, and only drugs were taken from his rooms Before the offence the accused had had drugs and also some liquor, and the combination might have affected him. The Magistrate said he did not think there was any great criminal intent and in he circumstances would suppress the accused's name. FORGERY A young woman, living apart from her husband and ,t.wo young children, had altered the amounts entered in her own and her husband’s Post Office Savings Bank books and then withdrawn sums in • excels of those in the accounts, said Sergeant A. Lambert. Barbara Ann Tito, aged 21. unemployed, pleaded guilty to three charges of forgery She also appeared for sentence on a charge of being idle and disorderly at Timaru on July 25 in that she did not have sufficient lawful means of support. Tito was remanded in custody to August 13 for sentence. An application for legal aid was granted. Sergeant Lambert said that in February at Waihi Tito altered her husband’s Savings Bank bood from 10s to £5O 10s and then withdrew the money at Paeroa by forging her hurtrands name to the withdrawal slip. In April she had £1 in her Savings Bank account and she altered this to read £5l. said Sargeant Lambert Tito made two withdrawals of JCIO each from the account in Wellington after she had left her husband and children. She had no fixed abode. THEFT OF MONEY Thomas Stewart Raye. aged 10, a workman, was. re-

leased on probation last Friday for .offences committed at Greymouth on July 13 and had intended to go back to Greymouth on Friday night, said a probation officer. Mr G. Hodgkinson. Raye was appearing before the Court on a charge of stealing 3s Id from the Southern Cross Service Station, Ltd., Ferry road, on Friday evening. He pleaded guilty, and was remanded in custody until this morning for sentence. Raye had also been directed by the Magistrate to take out a prohibition order, said Mr Hodgkinson. Sergeant Lambert said the police were called to the service station at 9. p.m and the accused, who was present. admitted taking the money and dropping it down his seek. “The accused said he had been drinking, but did not seem badly affected." FINED £lO “This was terribly dangerous, and because of the mood you were in it could have had very serious. consequences," said the Magistrate when fining Michael Terrence Galliot, aged 18. a driver, £lO on a charge of being in unlawful possession of a firearm on July 21. Gallot was appearing for sentence.

Galiot realised he .was on the brink of Borstal, said Mr R. G. Blunt. In spite of his bravado and stupid statements. Galiot did not take the gun into the coffee lounge Drink was the cause of the accused's lapses, and if he was given a chance he would be able to pay his debts, as he was earning good money. "You have come very close to going to Borstal.” said the Magistrate "Take a good look at your record, because you cannot remain loose in the community if you continue to offend. You have appeared in court since being placed on probation.” FINE, PROBATION

“I am prepared to accept your assurance that you will not offend again, but the Court must show its displeasure at such offences,” said the Magistrate when fining Desmond John White, aged 35. a welder, £25 on a charge of committing an indecent act on a boy. White was also placed on probation for 12 months. He was appearing for sentence.

Mr R. G. Blunt said that the accused was not of high intelligence, and did not appreciate the seriousness of the offence. His appearance before the Court had come as a real shock to him White had lost his job. which he had held for many years. THEFT OF PETROL "This will be the dearest bit of petrol you've had for a while." said the Magistrate when he fined Trevor Alexander Henry Young, aged 23. a driver. £ 15 on a charge of stealing at Aylesbury four gallons of petrol, valued at 14s lid. the property of Marshall Roy Voice. Young was also ordered to make restitution of £3 4s lid. The accused, who was appearing for sentence, was not represented by counsel “You had a conviction for dishonesty a few years ago. and I am not sure if you should not go to prison.” the Magistrate said. CHARGE WITHDRAWN A charge against George Laws, aged 30. of being idle arid disorderly at Amberley on July 29 was withdrawn by the police. Laws was appearing for sentence. Sergeant Lambert said that the authorities at the Sunnyside Hospital desired Laws to return to the hospital. CHARGE ADMITTED Pleading guilty to a charge of attempted indecent assault on a girl aged five on July 20. Ronald Kenneth Finnie. aged 38. was convicted and remanded until September 3 to the Sunnyside Hospital under provisions of the Mental Health Act. Sergeant Lambert said that the accused had admitted a number of similar offences, but no complaints had been received by the police. Finnie had been lurking

around primary schools in Sydenham. Riccarton. and Fendalton. He was obviously mentally retarded, and- needed treatment. Sergeant Lambert said. POSSESSED RIFLE Pleading guilty to a charge of possessing a firearm without sufficient purpose on July 30, Imre Fulop, aged 26. was remanded on bail until August 13 for sentence. Sergeant Lambert said that a man reported to the police at 3 a.m. that he had been cycling along Pages road and had seen a .22 rifle sticking out of the window of a parked car. When he got further along the street he, heard a rifle discharged. The police searched the car and found the rifle and a spent, bullet. The defendant would give no explanation, said Se'-geant Lambert. INDECENT ASSAULT On two'-charges of indecent assault on young girls on June 2. James Joseph Jones, aged 33. was convicted and remanded until August 13 for sentence. He pleaded guilty, and was represented by B. S McLaughlin. FOUND DRUNK On a charge of being found drunk at 645 p.m. in Cathedral square on August 4. Hugh George Wylie, aged 34 was convicted and fined £2. Sergeant Lambert said that Wylie had a conviction for a similar offence in the previous six months REMANDED On a charge of bigamy at Christchurch on August 11. Stanley Robert Ritchie, aged 32. was remanded until August 20. Bail was granted Trevor John Grainger, aged 19. was remanded until August 13 on a charge of receiving stolen property, to the value of £2O. on July 12 Bail was renewed. On two joint charges of theft at Cheviot between June 15 and June 18. Albert Peter Wright, aged 22. and Stanley Patrick Delaney, aged 21. were each remanded on bail until August 10. Charged with the theft of scrap telephone cable, valued at £l7 14s. between June,

18 and June 25. Crosbiei Frank Cook, aged 38. was re- 1 manded until August 13. Bai! 1 was refused. Martin Joseph McLoughlin, aged 23. charged with driving while under the influence: of drink or drugs on August 3. was remanded on bail until August 13. William Charles Kidd, aged 36. was remanded in custody until August 13 on a charge of stealing a oiano accordion. 1 valued at £72 10s. on August 3 A man, whose name was: suppressed, was remanded on bail until August 13 on a charge of receiving stolen property on July 12 Charged with having an offensive weapon in a publicplace on July 27. a man, whose name was suppressed was remanded on bail until August 13. Clifford Phillip Edward Moore, aged 51. was remanded in custody until August 13 on charges of being idle and disorderly at Amberley on July 31 and unlawful conversion of a motor-vehicle at Westport on July 21