Magistrate’s Court Fine Of £l00 For Attempt At Indecent Assault

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30212, 17 August 1963, Page 19

Magistrate’s Court Fine Of £l00 For Attempt At Indecent Assault

A fine of £ 100 was imposed on Louis Frederick Arps, aged 53, a labourer (Mr W. A. Wilson), when he appeared for sentence before Mr A. P. Blair, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday on a charge of attempted indecent assault on a girl on July 20. Arps had pleaded guilty as a result of the shock of his arrest and the wish to get everything over as quickly as possible. Mr Wilson said. Arps saw the girl smoking and lounging around with what appeared to be undesirable types. He thought to do the girl a good turn by warning her against this waywardness.

However, Arps had admitted that he did have some sinister motive in that if the girl had been willing he would have gone further, said Mr Wilson. The accused was respected in his community and was looking after his SO-year-old mother, who would have noone to care for her if imprisonment were imposed. In addition, Arps suffered from a facial impairment, said Mr Wilson. The Magistrate said he could not accept that Arps had proper motives for his action, and it was inconsistent with his plea of guilty and his actions as established by the police. Girls were entitled to protection, he said. CAR DEALERS CHARGED Thirty - six motor - vehicle dealers and firms were charged with breaches of the Motor-vehicle Dealers' Act, and 33 were convicted and ordered to pay costs. The charges against three were adjourned. The Magistrate said he accepted that the offences were technical and trivial, and it seemed that if the defendants offended again their rivals Would move against them. All defendants pleaded guilty. Repesented by Mr W. F. Brown were the Canterbury Tractor Company, Cashmere Garage, Ltd., Christchurch Car Sales, Ltd., Steve Christenson and Company. Ltd.. Christchurch Wrecking Company Ltd, Alfred John Jones, John Cullen Kearns. Keith John Kennedy. Salisbury Motors, Ltd., Basil George Steffens, Tench Brothers. Ltd., Derek Thomas Watts. Patrick Alfred Whalan. Raymond Leonard Rolland, Barry Brown Car Sales, Ltd., Neil Walker, and Murray William Corlet. Mr N. G. Hattaway represented Auto Car Sales, Ltd., and Cockram Car Sales. Ltd., Mr J. G. Hutchison represented Manchester Car Sales. Ltd., Pacific Car Sales, Ltd., and Eaton Motors, Ltd., and the cases against these three defendants were adjourned to August 23.

Mr P. Thompson appeared for V.W. Motors, Ltd., Mr J. Dawson for David John Patchett. Mr H. Quigley for Graeme Alan McVictor, and Mr P. Mortlock for W. A. McLaren and Company, Ltd. Defendants not represented were Kevin Noel Crowe, Graham Stuart George Bennett, Carthy Motors, Ltd., Fergus Tannock Griffiths, Maurice Clive Hornsby, A. R. Mackay. Ltd., Seymour Matthew Marker, Franklin Sydney Whitby. Motordrome, Ltd., and Palmer and Doak, Ltd. Sergeant Read said that on June 13 a oomplaint was received about alleged breaches of the act with newspaper advertisements, from which were omitted either the letters L.M.VD. or the name and style under which a dealer or firm was trading. The defendants had admitted being responsible but said the omissions were accidental Many were not aware the act made It compulsory to include

the name of the business in an advertisement. For his clients Mr Brown said the breaches were purely technical. The Motor Vehicle Dealers’ Association had been formed to protect the interests of its members, "and in this case I am bound to say that this list of prosecutions was the result of action taken by a person or persons interested in some unsuccessful application opposed by the association.” Other counsel made similar submissions. ESCAPED FROM PRISON Pleading guilty to escaping from Paparua Prison on July--29, Dominic Connerton, aged 25, was sentenced to three months' imprisonment, to be cumulative on a sentence he is at present serving. Connerton, who was a trusted prisoner, was working with other prisoners in the prison garden on the morning of July 29, said Sergeant B. D. Read. A guard noted he was present at 10.10 am., and at 10.25 am. he was found to be missing. He was found at 11.30 am. about five miles from the prison. Connerton told the police he decided on the spur of the moment to escape. He said he found It hard to live in prison after spending some time in a mental institution. POSSESSED OPIUM Sung Lee, aged 63, an unemployed gardener, was fined £25 when he pleaded guilty to being in possession of prepared opium on August 2. Sergeant Read said that when Lee was arrested for drunkenness prepared opium was found in his possession. Lee said he had been an addict for many years. He had been more than 30 years in New Zealand, and had five previous convictions for similar offences. THEFT CHARGES

Two charges of theft by falling to account, against Walter Maurice Dick, aged 30, a rubber worker (Mr J. G. Leggat), were adjourned to August 30 after Dick had pleaded guilty and the facts had been heard. Sergeant Read said that Dick was the manager of a ear-sale firm know-n as Maurice Dick, Ltd., until the firm went into receivership. The charges involved two cars which Dick was to sell on commission. He had been asked to sell the first car, giving £lOO to the seller and retaining the rest as commission. He sold the car for £l2O and banked £llO. No money was given to the former owner.

The car was returned when the new owner died and It was sold again for £l3O. The sale was financed by raising the price to £260 and crediting the purchaser with a false deposit of £l3O. The original owner was not told the car had been sold, and Dick did not pay any money to him or to the representatives of the first buyer.

A second car. to be sold on similar terms for about £ 180, was sold for a £llO trade-in and hire-purchase agreement of £llO. Dick obtained £lO5 from a hire-purchase company. The owner was not told the oar had been sold.

An application by Mr Leggat for interim suppression of Dick’s name was refused. ONE YEAR’S GAOL One year’s imprisonment was Imposed on Roger James Marsland when he appeared for sentence on a charge of burglary at Little River on or about August 5. He was ordered to make restitution of £156 9s lid. The Magistrate said it was Marsland’s third appearance for similar offences, and there was no alternative to Imprisonment. STOLE CAR ENGINE Charged with the theft of a car engine at Hokitika between December 24, 1962, and May 1. 1963, Alexander John Bromley, aged 37 (Mr W. A. Wilson), pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two months' Imprisonment, the period to be served concurrently with a four-month prison sentence Imposed in the Greymouth Supreme Court on July 19. Detective-Sergeant P. J O’Donovan said that Westland Timber. Ltd.. Hokitika, found a car engine was missing from its yard. Inquiries were made and Bromley admitted taking the engine and putting It tn his car. The engine was recovered in good order. ASSAULT Kenneth Tyson, aged 31, a seaman (Mr R. G. Blunt), was remanded on ball to August 26 for sentence after he had pleaded guilty to assaulting a female on August 7. Sergeant Read said that the police were Informed that a woman, covered In blood, was in Elaine street, Woolston. They found a woman, cut and bruised The accused had been living with her and had assaulted her, she told the police. He had punched and kicked her and had threatened to strangle her and get an axe and cut her head off. The complainant had not required medical attention. Sergeant Read said. The floor of the house where the assault took place was covered with blood. Mr Blunt said that almost all the account given by the prosecution was disputed by the accused. The accused said the first violence was when his de facto wife hit him over the head with a plate. She had cut her thumb on the plate, and his head required six stitches. The accused said that the complainant had only bruises, and that the blood came from the cut on his head and in the complainant’s thumb. The two were nowliving apart. THEFT OF RADIO Alfred Michael Bryan (Mr R G. Blunt) was convicted and remanded to August 26 for sentence when he pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing a radio valued at £2l on August 2. Sergeant Read said that Bryan took the radio from a display stand In a shop. TRIAL ELECTED . Norman Roy Alfred Madeod, aged 24 (Mr W. A. Wilson), was remanded on bail to August 22 at Dunedin when he appeared on a charge of having unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 16 at Tekapo on June 15. He elected trial by jury SHOPLIFTING Ngaire Zorah Childs (Mr R. F. B. Perry ) was convicted and fined £2O when she pleaded guilty to stealing bacon and saveloys valued at 4s 9d from the Seli-Heln store at Seaview road. New Brighton, on July 20. Sergeant Read said that Childs had previous convictions. Mr Perry said that the accused was under considerable strain. She was also terrified □f the result publication of her name would have on her family The offence would appear

to be quite inexplicable. The accused intended to take psychiatric treatment.

NAME SUPPRESSED The offences were inexplicable and out of character, and there was a medical background, said the Magistrate when suppressing the name of a woman appearing on four charges of an op lifting. The accused (Mr J. E. Millar) pleaded guilty to all charges. She was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called on within 12 months and ordered to pay £5 15s 9d restitution and £5 towards the cost of the prosecution.

Sergeant Read said the accused was seen to take two egg cups and two teaspoons from Woolworths. Ltd., in High street. She left without paying for the goods and was stopped outside the shop. She said she had enough money to pay for the goods but she had got tired of waiting for someone to attend. to her. In her bag were found a pair 1 of slacks and two cardigans, which die accused admitted taking from other shops in the city during June and July. Mr Millar said the accused had been living under a considerable strain and the offence was completely out of character. FINED £l5 Jean Marion Barrett, aged 21. a factory worker (Mr J. N. Matson), was fined £l5 when she pleaded guilty to stealing 14s Hid worth of groceries from Self-Help. Ltd.. Seaview road,, New Brighton, on July 20. < The accused paid for some groceries then took other goods and left without paying for them, said Sergeant Read. She ‘ was stopped outside the shop, and she asked whether she w-ould be let off if she paid for the goods. She could offer no explanation for her actions. Mr Matson said there was little he could say. There was nothing to suggest the accused had criminal tendencies. UNLAWFULLY ON RACECOURSE Charged with being a prohibited person unlawfully on a racecourse on August 6. Kenneth Rueben Brown was convicted and fined £5. He a:d not appear. LICENSING CHARGES Gavin Thomas Mills, a hotel licensee, was fined £8 on a charge of selling liquor at the Esplanade Hotel when not authorised to do so on July 20. A plea of gulltv was entered bv Mr P. J Wylie. Edward Martin was fined £3 for procuring liquor from the Esplanade Hotel after hours on July 20. He did not appear. „ NO PERMIT Charged with providing entertainment on Sunday. June 3ff without a permit, Charles Douglas Cowan was fined £5. He did not appear. harboured escapers A father and daughter, Nicholas Albert Gay, aged 42 a panelbeater, and Ruth Gay, aged 18 (Mr G. D. G. Bailey) were remanded on ball for sentence on August 26 on a charge of harbouring three escapers from a child w-elfare home. They pleaded guilty. DRUNKENNESS Clifford Stanley Hodgkins aged 50. was fined £2 when he pleaded guilty to a charge of being found drunk, having been once convicted of the same offence within the previous six months. REMANDS Gordon Thomas Fox, aged 28 (Mr M. J. Glue), was remanded on bail to August 23 on a charge of burglary of the Centra] Hotel on August 8. He was charged jointly with Alfred Michael Bryan, aged 43 (Mr R. G. Blunt), who was remanded to the same date. Eric Ronald Alphonsus Gil-ligan-Kingsley (Mr R, G. Blunt), elected trial by jury on two charges of burglary, and was remanded In custody to September 25 for the taking of depositions. James Henry Duncan, aged 42, who pleaded not guilty to theft as a servant between January 23. 1962, and March 31, 1963, was remanded on ball to August 23. Robert Mervyn Hills, aged 23, was remanded to August 21 for the taking of depositions on a charge of theft as a servant between April 1 and April 8. Nola Shirley Alston, aged 36. was remanded on ball to August 30 on a charge of false pretences at Ashburton on May 13.

John Gordon King, aged 18. was remanded in custody to August 23 when he pleaded guilty to a charge of burglary on August 12. Sergeant Read said there would be other charges. The Magistrate made an order that King be kept apart from other prisoners. lan Ronald Julius, aged 18, was remnaded on bail to August 23 on a charge of receiving on August 12. John Joseph Hill, aged 22 (Mr G. R. Lascelles), was remanded until September 25 on a charge of burglary on July 24. A charge of receiving stolen goods on July 24 was adjourned till September 25. Hill, who pleaded not guilty, elected trial by jury. (Before Mr E. A. Lee, S.M.) FINED £5

A youth who went to a friend’s home and found the house empty broke a window, went in and made himself at home the court was told.

Charged with breaking and entering with Intent to commit a crime, Robert Leslie Hardie, aged 19, a waiter (Mr G. R. Lascelles), pleaded not guilty, but when the charge was amended by the Magistrate to one of being on enclosed g remises without lawful excuse, ardie pleaded guilty. He was fined £5 There was no doubt that Hardie technically committed an offence when he broke into the house, but there was doubt that he intended to commit a crime, the Magistrate said before amending the charge. (Before Mr H. Rosen. S.M.) THEFT OF GROCERIES Marguerite Morgan (Mr G D. I G. Bailey), was convicted and fined £5 on a charge of theft of groceries valued at 7s Id from the Self-Help Co-op. Ltd.. 743 Colombo street, on July 12. She pleaded not guilty. 'Before Mr K. H. S. Headifen, S.M.) THEFT John David Gray, aged 22, unemployed, was convicted and fined £3 on each of two charges of theft of two motor licensing labels, valued at 6d each, on or about July 6 and on or about July 9. He pleaded guilty. On a charge of unlawful conversion at Ealing on April 24 he was remanded until August 23. DISMISSED After Ronald Reginald Chick, aged 36. a surfaceman (Mr W. A. Wilson), pleaded not guilty, a charge of theft of a radiogram. valued at £lO. was dismissed.