Magistrate's Court Fifteen Months’ Gaol For Man Who Stole Money

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30028, 12 January 1963, Page 5

Magistrate's Court Fifteen Months’ Gaol For Man Who Stole Money

‘Those thefts were made when you were in a position of trust, and ft is a painful matter when we come to consider how your wife and fam. ily are going to suffer a* a result of your own conscious and wilful actions,” said Mr E. S. J. CrufcNey, S.M.. in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday when he sentenced Gerald Vincent Hood, aged 29, a workman, to 15 months’ imptisonmeut, Hood was appearing on 10 charges of theft by failing to account, and one of theft as a servant, involving a total of £313. He was represented by Mr M. J. Glue Hood was employed’ as a salesman in the carpet department of Smith’s City Market, Ltd. when the offences occurred between August 23 and October 31 last year.

The case was a personal tragedy for the accused, said Mr Glue. Occasionally he made a good start in jobs, and since the age of 26 he had led a comparatively good life. *T would not agree with the probation officer’s report which says he is a man who ‘has thrown in the sponge.’ It was a case that once he had embarked upon this episode, things got worse and worse. It cannot be denied that he knew what he was doing.” Mir Glue said Hood was married with young children aged five, three sod two, and his wife was surrounded by debts. He had been a desperate man when he committed the offences.

THREE MONTHS IN PRISON Joseph Christopher Witana, aged 37, unemployed, was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment on a charge of theft of £ 100 in money on December 20.

Representing Witana, Mr Glue said his previous list of 36 convictions was a formidable one, but that the bulk of them arose from drink. Apart from two exceptions, the defendant had not been in serious trouble since 1948. There had been nothing planned or premeditated about the present theft from a shop, and later Witana had second tboutfits and decided to return the money. He was in a car with a friend on his way to return it when the police intercepted him. ASSAULT

Leslie John Stack, aged 22, a workman, was fined £l2 10a and costa when he appeared on a charge of assault. At 6.45 p.m. on Thursday of this week, the caretaker of the Sydenham Park saw persons riding bicycles over the lawns, said Detective-Ser-geant A W. R. Ball He warned them not to do so, and when be saw the defendant coming acrons the towns shortly after, he stood in his path. The youth got off his cycle, laid it on the ground, and started to use obscene language and threats. He struck the caretaker with the back of his hand. "This may be an assault of a minor nature, but rhe circumstances don't reflect any credit on you whin you struck a man of 67 years.” said the Magistrate, imposing the fine.

OBSCENE EXPOSURE “There were two young girls concerned in each of these charges, and a man of your age should recognise the seriousness of this type of offence. The public, and particularly young children, simply must be protected, and for this reason your name will be published,” said the Magistrate when he fined David Alexander Cochrane, aged 24, £lO on each of two charges of obscene exposure, when he appeared for sentence. He was also placed on probation tor one year. Mir M. J. Glue said Cochrane was prepared to undergo psychiatric treatment, and it was unlikely that he would ever appear in Court again. The defendant’s upbringing had not been a particularly happy one, with much of his education at boarding schools, and he had definitely missed a happy and settled home life. INDECENT LANGUAGE

Reginald William Hannan, aged 22, a workman, was fined £5 and costs on a charge of using indecent language in Cathedral square on January 10. Detective-Sergeant Ball said at 6.40 p.m. on Thursday a constable in Cathedral square was attracted outside the public toilets where a half gallon jar of beer was broken. The defendant had urged a friend to pick up the glass off the footpath, but had used indecent language in front of many persons nearby. He was trying to be of assistance to the constable, but the language used was quite uncalled for.

When the police called to interview a woman who was alleged to have used indecent language in a cafe at IC7 Cashel street on January 10, they found Margaret Matilda Brunton, aged 46. a married woman, had been drinking. In the course of the interview, she continued to use the words complained at The Magistrate refused an application for suppression of name, and fined her £5 and costs.

£2O PURSE “Although you didn’t know it at the time, you were fighting for a £2O purse,” said the Magistrate when he fined Victor Iti. aged 10, a machinist, and Lewis William Richardson. aged 23, a freezing worker, £lO each on charges of fighting in a public place on January 10. Detective-Sergeant Ball said a constable on duty tn Cathedral square had seen the two men arguing outside the public toilets at 6.50 pan., and they later exchanged blows. The constable had to intervene to separate them. ASSAULT Bernard Henry Compton, aged 28, • cleaner, was fined £lO whan 1* appeared tor sentence on a charge of assault on hie wife on January 7. Imposing toe fine, the Magdoubt no to toe amount of

force used, and he would take into account the long hoars of work which tire defendent had been doing.

BURGLARY Bruce William Howard, aged 18, a workman, was released on probation for two years and was ordered to pay

£lO costs when he appeared for sentence on a charge of burglary cm December 31. Mr Glue said Howard had returned the money which he had stolen from his employers, and that he was now under the strict supervision of his brother. The offence bad been the result of drinking parties when the defendent had found himself short on money.

The Magistrate refused an application for suppression of name.

On two charges of burglary on December 9, lan Basil Archer, aged 29, a workman, was released on probation for two years and fined £l5 on each charge. He appeared for sentence on charges of burglary at a storeshed in Inwoods road. North Brighton, the property of William James Cain, and at a storeroom at 221 Marshland road, the property of lan Alister McDonald. FINED £4O

A total of £4O in fines was imposed on Kevin Ronald Riddell, aged 18, a workman, when he appeared for sentence on charges of obstructing the police and of assaulting a constable. The charges arose from a fight in Cathedral square on January 5. TWO YEARS’ PROBATION When he appeared for sentence on a charge of theft of a bicycle, valued at £7 10s, between October 23 and November 11, 1962, and on a further charge of assaulting his wife on January 3, Alton Stuart McLintock, aged 28. was fined £5 and released on probation for two years. He was also ordered to make restitution of £3 to cover the cost of repair of the cycle. YOUTH FINED “In modem idiom you are what could be called a square pest,” said the Magistrate when Barry John Nicholls, aged 18,' appeared for sentence on charges of committing an indecent act in Cathedral square and escaping from lawful custody on January 5. He was fined £7 10s on each charge and placed on probation for two years. NAME SUPPRESSED

A girl whose name was suppressed was released on probation for two years when She appeared for sentence on a charge of theft as a servant on December 27. She was represented by Mir G. R. Lascelles. REMANDED On a charge of unlawfully taking ' a motor car on January 10, Albert Thomas Day, aged 31, a workman, was remanded on bail to January 18. He was charged with taking a car valued at £7OO, the property of Dominion Motors. Ltd.

Ronald George Walker, aged 25, and Robert Owen Benjamin Haskett, aged 29, both workmen, were ■remanded to January 18 on renewed bail. They were charged with burglary of a building in Watts road. Sockbum, on November 29. On a charge of theft of a concrete mixer valued at £4O on December 27, Robert William Kinnaird, aged 23, was remanded to January 18. Bail was renewed. Samuel Dean Sutton, aged 42, was remanded in custody to January 14 when he appeared on a charge of burglargy at a shop at IM Jerrold street on January 2. Bail was renewed When Stephen Malcolm Walker, aged 17, was remanded to Jauuary 18 on a charge of theft ot a crate of tools and other equipment valued at £5O, the property of the United States Government.

When they appeared on a joint charge of theft of four tractor lights and a wheel assembly, valued at £l4, the property of the Canterbury ; Tractor Company, Ronald ' George Walker, aged 25, and 1 Allen Frederick Leydon, aged 35, were remanded to January 11. Bail was renewed. 1 An application for bail was 1 refused when Terence Wil- ' liam Phillip Pennell, aged 34, i appeared on a charge of burg- ! lary of a shop at 59 Picton . avenue on December 28. i Pennell, who was arrested on ! January 4, was further . remanded in custody to > January 18, Datective- > Sergeant Ball strongly > opposed bail. i Sydney Huia Gerrard Ban- ’ nister, aged 45, was remanded to January 18 on a charge of theft of goods valued at £29 at Wellington between October 16 and October 20, ’ 1962. Interim suppression of ’ name was granted when a i youth appeared on a charge lof stealing a bicycle on . December 2. The charge was ■ adjourned to January 18. On a charge of receiving ■ stolen property valued at . £lBO 15s. Raymond Laurenr son Willetts, aged 26, a workI man, was remanded to January 18 on bail He is charged with receiving goods , from Trevor Wallace King , between August 26 and , September 30, 1962, the property of Harold Pointer. ’ Michael James Griffin, aged • 18. Wallace Leon Hamilton, ' aged 19. and Robert Brian E Dickison. aged 18, were ! remanded to January 14 on 1 a charge of burglary at the Wentworth Dairy, la Wentl worth afreet, on December 28. ■ Bail was renewed. > Bail was renewed an ■■ interim order for suppression . of name continued when a . man appeared on a charge of . theft ef wheel assemblies, valued at £lO. on December 13. Trevor Thomas King, aged 21, a workman, was .remanded in custody to January 14 on 12 chargee of burglary and one ef theft. A man who name was gqpgNased whs msnamtait on, bafl'toJaouery 18 on a charge of assault.