MAGISTRATE’S COURT Youth Drove Under Influence While Disqualified

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30576, 20 October 1964, Page 8

MAGISTRATE’S COURT Youth Drove Under Influence While Disqualified

Clive Ross Hartley, aged 19, pleaded guilty in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday to driving under the influence of drink or drugs and driving when disqualified. Mr K. H. J. Headifen. S.M., remanded him on bail to October 23 for sentence. Sergeant V. F. Townshend said that when the trafiic officer who arrested Hartley was driving him to the Central Police Station about 1.15 a.m. on October 4, Hartley fell out of the patrol car. Hartley lumped to his feet and ran down Hereford place, but was caught at the rear of Tattersail’s Hotel. THEFT OF RADIO Carlton Ranginui Edwards, aged 23, was remanded in

custody to October 23 on a charge of stealing a radio valued at £l5, the property of P. C. Mangos, on October 9. He pleaded guilty. Sergeant Townshend said that Edwards took the radio from the dining-room of the Empire Hotel, Lyttelton, and wrapped it in a jersey when he left the hotel. He had 11 previous convictions. THEFT OF CARPET There was no reason why vandals should have their names suppressed, said the Magistrate when he refused an application for suppression of name made by Mr S. G. Erber for William Gavin Chant, aged 20, a joiner’s apprentice. Chant pleaded guilty to a charge of theft of a body carpet valued at £B, the property of Sedley Wells, Ltd., on August 23, and was fined £lO. An order was made for restitution of £5. Detective Sergeant E. T. Mitten said that Chant tore the carpet from the floor outside the Safari coflee lounge.

TOOK CYCLE Charged with unlawfully taking a cycle valued at £lO on October 17, Noel David Blair, aged 22, a labourer (Mr M. J. Glue), was fined £lO. He pleaded guilty. An application for suppression of name was refused. SUSPENDED SENTENCE A man, whose name was suppressed (Mr A. K. Grant), was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called on within six months, and was ordered to pay costs, on a charge of being unlawfully on premises without intent on October 12. He pleaded guilty. IMPERSONATION ALLEGED Charged with being idle and disorderly on October 17 in that he wore women’s clothing, Michael Paul Stone, aged 18 (Mr G. R. Lascelles), was remanded on bail to October 22 at the completion of the prosecution evidence. He pleaded not guilty. William Gavin Chant, a joiner’s apprentice at present on military service, said that at 2 a.m. on October 17 he was approached in High street by a woman who offered her services for £5. He said that he thought £5 too much, so took her to the police station. John William Lee said that he was with Chant, and when they obtained a better view of the girl they decided to take her to the police station. They did not realise that Stone was a male. Sergeant C. D. McMeeking said that when he interviewed the accused he gave his name as Maria Williams. After further questioning Stone admitted his real name. THEFT Noel Patrick Simpson, aged 20, an unemployed workman, was convicted and remanded in custody to October 23 for sentence on a charge of theft of £l5 on October 13. He pleaded guilty. The Magistrate said that Simpson was already under a suspended sentence. FIREARM CHARGES

Jack William Desmond Pearson, aged 28, was fined £4 for discharging a firearm from a road, £1 for procuring a firearm without a permit, and £1 for supplying a firearm to a minor at Camping Gully creek on August 8. He pleaded guilty. Detective Sergeant Mitten said that Pearson was taking part in a hare drive, accompanied by Michael Leslie Scott, aged 15. He was driving along the Hororata-Rakaia Gorge road when he stopped the truck and fired at a hare, wounding it. He handed the .22 repeating rifle to Scott while he chased the hare. Scott, following, stumbled and fell, and the rifle discharged, wounding Pearson in the thigh.

Pearson said he borrowed the rifle from the registered owner, Desmond Mitchell, about 14 months before in exchange for a camera, but did not get a permit The rifle was tested by a police ballistics expert who found that it bad a dangerously light

trigger pressure and a defective safety catch, and that it could be fired by a sharp blow when the safety catch was in the off position. Pearson, who lived at Hororata, was still incapacitated, said Detective Sergeant Mitten. FINED £6 On a charge of procuring a firearm without a permit on August 15, David John Grieve, iged 19, an apprentice carpenter, was fined £6. Detective Sergeant Mitten said that on August 16 the police received a complaint from a West Melton farmer ibout trespass and wilful lamage. A car was found abandoned on his farm and in it was a rifle. Grieve admitted that he went to the area to shoot rabbits. • DELIVERED RIFLE WITHOUT PERMIT

Desmond John Alexander Mitchell, aged 26, an electroplater, was fined £4 on a charge of delivering a rifle without a permit. Detective Sergeant Mitten said that the rifle was found in possession of a person at HOrorata. Mitchell had lent it to the person, who was considering buying it. THREE FINED

The hotel register had not been signed, no receipt had been produced by one of the defendants for the board he allegedly paid, and the hotel accounts had not been produced, said the Magistrate when he convicted three men of licensing offences. , Desmond Terrance Messervy, a labourer, was fined £4 on a charge of consuming liquor after hours on licensed premises and £2 for supplying liquor after hours. Brian Fraser Munro, a railway worker, was fined £4 for consuming liquor after hours on licensed premises, and lan Douglas Bateman was fined £4 on a similar charge. All pleaded not guilty, and were represented by Mr S. G. Erber.

The Magistrate said he found Messervy’s evidence that he was staying at the Valley Inn evasive and vague. Munro’s and Bateman’s evidence that they were drinking at the hotel for an hour and that Messervy paid for all the drinks was hard to believe. MINORS FINED

John Charles Reeves, aged 20, a factory hand, was fined £5 for purchasing liquor on August 15 when a minor. Neil McLeod Rowlatt, aged 19, a clerk, was fined £4 for purchasing liquor when a minor and £1 for being found in a bar on August 19. David John Commons, aged 20, a soldier, was fined £3 on a charge of consuming liquor after hours and £3 on a charge of giving false information about his age on August 28. REMANDED John Francis Rapley, aged 22, a shepherd, was remanded on bail to October 29 on a charge of driving under the influence of drink or drugs at Weedons on October 17. On charges of driving under the influence of drink or drugs and dangerous driving at Burnham, Leonard Wilson Wakelin, aged 47, a labourer, was remanded on bail to October 29. Charged with using obscene language in a public place on October 17, Robin Francis Sheedy, aged 22, a workman, pleaded not guilty. He was remanded on bail to October 22. Charged with the theft of a cycle valued at £2B on September 29, and theft of a cycle valued at £lO on September 25, Allan William Brand, aged 30, a driver, was remanded on bail to October 22. On charges of not having a warrant of fitness, driving while disqualified, and driving in a manner which might have been dangerous in Pages road on October 17, George Charles Nicholson, aged 23, a carpenter (Mr M. J. Glue), was remanded on bail to October 29.