Magistrate’s Court Youth Convicted On Two Of Four Charges After Fracas

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30130, 14 May 1963, Page 7

Magistrate’s Court Youth Convicted On Two Of Four Charges After Fracas

A constable was pushed against a table and another was kicked when they tried to remove Bradley George Stockdale, aged 19, from the Plaza Milk-bar in Cathedral square on April 10, Mr A. P Blair, S.M., was told in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, when Stockdale 'Mr G. D. G. Bailey) pleaded not guilty to charges of assaulting Conetable Rodney Rutherford Curtis, resisting the police, damaging a milk-shake container, and disorderly behaviour. Stockdale was convicted and fined £lO on the charge of disorderly behaviour and convicted and ordered to c.me up for sentence if called upon in six months on the charge of assault. The other charges were dismissed. Richard Maurice Tovey, proprietor of the milk-bar, said he saw Stockdale poke his fingers into the eyes of a customer. and then draw his finger-nail across the customer's face Brought back to the milk-bar by a c.nstable, Stockdale warned them not to touch him or he would “drop them." After resisting violently, Stockdale was put across a table and handcuffed. Constable Curtis said that Stockdale denied being in the milk-bar previously. The injured youth also denied that Stockdale was his attacker, although he bad mentioned Stockdale's name earlier. When an attempt was made to remove Stockdale from tlie milk-bar he became violent. Later, at the police station, he kicked a bucket of ccal across the floor. Constable C. Zwart said that he took Stockdale back to the milk-bar after the complaint. He touched Stockdale’s arm, but did not twist it. Stockdale said that Constable Zwart twisted his arm. Jle admitted being in the milk-bar and arguing with a customer. He lost his temper when the police tried to remove him. There was no doubt that Stackdale committed assault in the milk-bar, the Magistrate said. “It does seem that some mild criticism can be made of the procedure of bringing bitn to the milk-bar, and detaining him." he said. A constable, in evidence, admitted using some pressure to get Stockdale to the milk-bar, the Magistrate said. Although Stockdale was a bad character there was no deed to force him. Instead of trying to force Stockdale from the milk-bar the cone:a|j>les should have made up the«r minds whether to arrest him. “The police had every justdreation for getting irritated with this irresponsible young man who was not telling the truth," the Magistrate said. “But the accused, like everyone else, was entitled to have

the correct procedure. Hie struggle that developed was partly the fault of the police, although I think that the force that the accused used was out of ail proportion. “Because of the defects in procedure, I do not think that I should convict on the charge of resisting the police,” the Magistrate said. SUPPRESSION REFUSED Firms were entitled to know about cases of this sort, said the Magistrate, when he refused suppression of name of a woman who appeared on seven charges of false pretences at two Christchurch shops. Before the Court was Violet Watson, aged 49. married (Mr W. Gilroy), who pleaded guilty to the charges. She was remanded on bail to May 20 for sentence. Sergeant B. D. Read said that Watson went into Ballantyne s store on April 24 and obtained goods valued at £35 9s 4d by falsely representing that she was entitled to charge them to the account of Mrs B. B Brown, of Brown's store, Motueka. It was found that Mrs Brown had no account there. When members of the staff saw Watson later they took the number of her car. Inquiries revealed that Watson had obtained goods valued at £303 Ils 3d by the same method. Sergeant Read said. At Ballantyne’s store she obtained goods valued at £126 Is 2d on the account of Mrs J. McJ. McNeill, and £3B 12s 8d on the account of Mrs A. Alexander. At the New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Association's store she obtained goods worth £47 16s 8d on the account of Mrs A. A. Macfarlane. Goods worth £260 had been recovered. Sergeant Read said. Applying for suppression, Mr Gilroy said that because all the offences were committed in three weeks, they indicated a medical background. STOLE SHOTGUNS Two alleged Army deserters broke into three cars in Oamaru on May 4 and stole three shotguns. ammunition, and other goods, valued at £lll Is 9d. Sergeant Read said. Before the Court were Dennis Eric Angove, aged 19, and Bryce Alan Carson, aged 21, who pleaded guilty to three joint charges of theft. They were remanded, in custody of the Army authorities, for sentence on May 20. A constable at Ashburton apprehended the men after he heard that someone was trying to sell a shotgun. Sergeant Read said. FOUGHT IN STREET Mixed accents—two Irish and one Scottish—had something to do with a fight in Moorhouse avenue on Saturday. Mr A Hearn said, appearing for Patrick Keane, aged 30. and Duncan Davidson Runciman. aged 29. who pleaded vuilty to charges of fighting. Keane was convicted and fined £4. and Runciman was convicted and fined £3. After pleading guilty to a charge of being drunk in a public place, Keane was fined £l. Sergeant Read said that policemen found two men sitting in the gutter and another standing nearby. Keane and Runciman admitted fighting—apparently a result of an argument in a hotel. "You seem to have suffered some punishment already, and I will take that into account," the Magistrate told Keane. In Runciman's case, he said, he would impose a smaller fine to indicate the view of the Court. STOLE PERCOLATOR Edward Francis Clarke, aged

32, a waiter, who pleaded guilty to a charge of theft as a servant from the Flamingo Restaurant, Ltd., on or about March 27, was fined £l2 and ordered to make restitution of £B. Sergeant Read said that after the manager of the company s restaurant at Harewood had complined that a coffee percolator had been taken from the dining-room the accused was interviewed. He admitted he had taken the percolator while working in the dining-room and given it to a friend. The percolator had not been recovered . Mr D. H. Stringer, who represented the accused, said that he was a first offender. FINED £2O Charged with using obscene language at Springston on May 12, and behaving in a disorderly manner on the same date, Colin Thomas, aged 20. a storeman. was fined £lO on each charge. He pleaded guilty. Sergeant Read said that guests were leaving a private dance at the Springston Hall when Thomas used the language complained of. After trying to start fights with several persons he drove off and was later found by the police in the front seat of his car at 3 aun. ADMITTED BURGLARY Pleading guilty to breaking into a hut at Greymouth and stealing £4 10s on May 3. William John Provis. aged 20. a millhand, was convicted and remanded on bail to May 20 for sentence. WASHING-UP CHARGES Saying he would treat, the offences as washing-up charges, the Magistrate sentenced Ronald Alan Peters, aged 27, to three months' imprisonment on two charges of forgery, the terms to be concurrent with a sentence of two years’ imprisonment he is serving. Peters was appearing for sentence. He was not represented by counsel, and had nothing to say. CHARGE DISMISSED A charge of assaulting his wife on May 11 against Graham Charles Brunt, aged 25, was dismissed after his wife declined to give evidence. Brunt pleaded not guilty. CASE ADJOURNED The hearing of a charge against Eileen Isabel Newton of fortune-telling on February 6 and of a charge against Alexander Denton Carruthers of aiding in fortune-telling was adjourned to this afternoon. REMANDED Alwyn Keith Aldridge, aged 18, was remanded on bail to May 17 on a charge of burglary at Greymouth on May 3. John Victor MCGuire, aged 33, was remanded in custody to May 17 on charges of being a rogue and a vagabond in that he possessed housebreaking implements and of being a rogue and a vagabond in that he was found loitering with felonous intent on May 3. Charged with assault on 'January 19 and false pretences involving £3O on April 11, Mervyn James Sheridan, aged 42, was remanded in custody to May 20. Norman Tennant, aged 29, charged with driving on Gloucester street while under the influence of drink or drugs on May 11, was remanded on bail to May 20. Charles Robert Sleeman, aged 28, was remanded on bail to May 28 on a charge of stealing a typewriter worth £37 10s on ' September 10. William Leslie Campbell, aged 31. charged with assaulting a female on May 11, was remanded on bail to May 20. Reginald William Parsons, aged 42, was remanded oh bail to May 20 on a charge of driving in Yaldhurst road while under the influence of drink or drugs on May 12. Charged with assaulting a female on May 11, Gordon Alexander Gillespie, aged 61, was remanded on bail to May 20. Charged jointly with unlawfully taking a car valued at £llOO on May 11, Robin Dean Turner, aged 21. and Ivan Watene, aged 21, were remanded on bail to May 20. After hearing submissions in chambers the Magistrate refused bail for Robert Mervyn Mills, aged 23 (Mr M. J. Glue), who appeared on charges of attempting to commit sodomy and aiding and abetting the offence of sodomy between April 22 and May 6. Hills was remanded to May 20. Paul Fergus Kaye, aged 17. was remanded on bail to May 20 on charges of committing sodomy and attempting to commit sodomy between April 22 and May 6.