Magistrate's Court Remanded For Sentence On Series Of Charges

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30882, 15 October 1965, Page 12

Magistrate's Court Remanded For Sentence On Series Of Charges

After picking up a girl from outside a child welfare home, the two accused unlawfully took a car from a used-car sales yard and committed offences at Nelson, Westport, and Reefton, Sergeant V. F. Townshend told Mr K. H. J. Headifen, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. The accused, Kevin William Coles, aged 17, a labourer, and Robert David Mitchell, aged 17, a labourer, were remanded in custody to October 21 for sentence.

They pleaded guilty to joint charges of unlawfully taking a car valued at £250, the property of City Motors, Ltd,: stealing cheque and receipt books and a cheque of a total value of £1 14s at Nelson: breaking and entering the shop of I.X.L. Dry Cleaners at 100 Collingwood street. Nelson; unlawfully taking a car valued at £llOO, the property of Gerald Joseph Dundon, at Westport: and harbouring an escaper from a girls* receiving home.

Mitehell pleaded guilty to a charge of breaking and entering the shop of Sylvia Jean Banks at Reefton. Coles pleaded guilty to a similar charge and also to charges of stealing a transistor radio valued at £B, unlawfully interfering with a car valued at £lOOO, the property of Alfred James Wakefield, at Westport, and breach of probation by failing to report. Sergeant Townshend said the accused claimed they could not obtain work in Christchurch, and as they had nowhere to live they decided to go on a trip in a stolen car to try to get-money by committing crimes. For more than a week before committing the offences Coles and Mitchell had not worked, and slept on the beach at New Brighton. DISQUALIFIED DRIVER “I am by no means impressed by your record, but as you have a wife and three young children 1 will not send you to prison. However, you will be off the road until March, 1968,” said the Magistrate when he fined Phillip David Harris, aged 23, a machine operator, £6O on a charge of driving while disqualified at Hornby on September 29. Harris’s licence was cancelled for a further year.

Harris said he was selling his car and would not offend again.

CONCURRENT SENTENCE Ronald Coleman Watters, aged 27, a commercial fisherman, was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment, to be served concurrently with a term he is at present serving, when he pleaded guilty to three charges of theft and one of burglary. All the offences were committed in the North Island. ASSAULTED CONSTABLE Paul Raymond Machirus, aged 24. unemployed, was remanded on bail to October 21 for sentence on a charge of assaulting Detective Constable Neville John Stokes on October 3. He pleaded not guilty, and was represented by Mr R. G. Blunt. The Magistrate said that Machirus had made a lot of 'allegations about the treatment he had received at the police station, but that should be taken up with the proper authorities. He was satisfied that Machirus knew that Detective Constable Stokes was a policeman when he questioned him. OBSCENE EXPOSURE Murray Ronald James, aged 2#, a grader driver, was convicted and remanded in custody for sentence on October 21 on a charge of obscene exposure on September 4in Dunedin. He pleaded guilty.

, BURGLARY Pleading guilty to charges of burglary and unlawfully being in a building on October 8, a man, whose name was suppressed, was convicted and remanded on bail for sentence on October 21.

DROVE UNDER INFLUENCE Happy Hill, aged 30, a wood merchant, was fined £5O on a charge of driving undfir the influence of drink or drugs in Radley street on September 24. His driver’s licence was cancelled for three years. He pleaded not guilty, and was represented by Mr E. O. Sullivan.

On a charge of using obscene language, to which he pleaded guilty. Hill was fined £lO. A charge of careless driving, to which he pleaded not guilty, was dismissed. THEFT Pleading guilty to a charge of theft of goods valued at £l7 on September 24, a man, whose name was suppressed, was convicted and remanded to October 21 for sentence. Bail was allowed. STOLE TROUSERS Gordon Thomas Kelly, aged 28, a spinner, was remanded in custody to October 21 for sentence on a charge of stealing a pair of trousers, valued at £4 ss, the property of Hallenstein Bros., Ltd., on September 10. He pleaded guilty. Sergeant Townshend said that Kelly called at the C.i.B. office on September 11 and admitted stealing the trousers and selling them. ASSAULT Max Kenrteth Rowland Rofe, aged 28, a hairdresser, was fined £l5 on a charge of assaulting John William Dower on October 2. Rofe (Mr P. H. T. , Alpers) pleaded not guilty, but during the hearing of the prosecution evidence changed his plea. He was ordered to pay witnesses’ expenses of £3. Dower said that he was with two girls when Rofe tried to get one of them to go with him, Rofe then attacked him. FORGERY AND THEFT Gary John Eade, aged 17, a postal assistant, was admitted

to probation for two years when he appeared for sentence on two charges of forgery and one of theft of a savings bank book valued at ss. Mr M. J. Glue, who appeared for Eade, said that the accused committed the offences to get money to visit his mother in the country. He had been in an unsuitable job, and had since obtained another position. Eade was ordered to pay £lO towards the cost of the prosecution, to make restitution of £25 6s, to work and live where directed, and to open a savings account. ' STOLE FROM SHOP A woman, whose name was suppressed, was convicted and remanded to October 19 for sentence on a charge of theft of goods to a value of 14s fid from Hay’s, Ltd., on October 7. She pleaded guilty. BURGLARY A youth, whose name was suppressed, was admitted to probation for two years and was ordered to pay £l5 towards the cost of the prosecution, to work and live where directed, and to open a savings account when he appeared for sentence on a charge of burglary on October 4. Mr D. A. Oldham appeared for the accused. THEFT OF £35 Beryl Edith Helen White, aged 23, a housewife, was released on probation for 18 months when she appeared for sentence on a charge of theft of £35 on or about August 28. She was ordered to take any medical treatment ordered by the probation officer. REMANDED Leon William Watene, aged 23. a workman, was remanded in custody to October 27 on a charge of stealing a watch valued at £25 at Paparoa on July 25. Watene elected trial by jury. Roderick Leonard Maurice Jackson, aged 63, a stock buyer, was remanded on bail to October 21 on a charge of driving under the influence of drink or drugs in Wharenui road on Octo ber 4. A man, whose name* was sup pressed, was remanded on bail to October 28 on a charge of indecent assault on October 8 He pleaded not guilty, and was represented by Mr S. G. Erber. (Before m/ H. J. Evans. S.M.) BORSTAL TRAINING A sentence of Borstal training was imposed on Rosemarv Adelaide Veronica Norton, aged 18, a waitress (Mr K. M. Hampton), who was appearing for sentence on two charges of obtaining credit by fraud on April 8 and May 7 and a charge of receiving stolen goods on July 10. The Magistrate said that Norton had twice been placed on probation, and the time had come for some restraint to be placed on her. OBSCENE LANGUAGE Charged with using obscene language in High street on October 3, John William Barnes, aged 28, a carpenter, was convicte'’ and fined £B. He pleaded not guilty. INSULTING LANGUAGE Charged with using insulting language in a public place on October 1, Sydney Sullivan, aged 36, a logging contractor, was convicted and fined £4. He pleaded not guilty. CARELESS USE Charged with careless use of a motor-vehicle on the approaches to the ChristchurchLyttelton road tunnel on July 27, Henry Lloyd Williams, a jeweller and watchmaker (Mr G. R. Joyce), was convicted and

ordered to pay costs. He pleaded not guilty. . TRUANCY Joyce May Postlethwalte. a housewife, was convicted and discharged on four charges of failing to send four of her children to school between June 1 and August 20. Postlethwalte pleaded guilty to three of the charges and not guilty to the other. Mr W. Winter, who appeared for the Canterbury Education Department, said that during the second term of this year one child had not attended school at all, one had not attended for 45 days, one for 29 days, and the other for 22 days. NO TAX RETURNS For failing to furnish a return of income Robert Turner, Ltd. was fined £5, and W. S. Russell and Company, Ltd. £3 FINED £7 10S For a breach of the Drainage and Plumbing Regulations Bevan Conrad Brunt was fined £7 10s. (Before Mr E. S. J. Crutchley, S.M.) CHARGE DISMISSED A charge of assault against Neville William Brain, aged 17. an apprentice turner (Mr M. J. Glue), was dsmissed. He pleaded not guilty. The charge was a result of a fracas in Cathedral square early on October 3. Brain was alleged to have assaulted Roderique John Arthur McKenzie. “The evidence establishes only that there was a fight. It is not clear enough for me to say he used excessive force," the Magistrate said. Brain was also charged with possession on the same night of an offensive weapon, a knife Decision was reserved until today. REMANDED Michael Thomas Prior, aged 24, a rubber worker (Mr M. G. L. Loughnan). was remanded on bail to October 28 for a psychiatric report when he apeared for sentence on a charge of being found unlawfully in a building on September 10. DISMISSED A charge of stealing articles valued at £7 10s on August 17. against John Frederick McKie, aged 36, a driver, was dismissed. He pleaded not guilty.