Threw Bottles On Road

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30924, 3 December 1965, Page 3

Threw Bottles On Road

f.X Z. Press Association) DUNEDIN. Dee. 2. Mr .1. I). Murray. S.M.. today refused to allow Brian Pringle, aged 21. a cook, who said he "could beat the charges in the Supreme Court,” to reverse his plea on two of the charges for which he was appearing for sentence. Pringle was convicted on two charges of false pretences. one of forgery, one

of dangerous driving and one of endangering other road users by throwing bottles on to the road. He was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment on each of the false pretences charges, the terms to be concurrent, and a cumulative term of nine months on the charge of forgery. Sentences of one month for dangerous driving and three months for throwing bottles on to the road were ordered to be concurrent, and he was disqualified from driving for two years. Anthony John Howard, aged 23, a workman, who was jointly charged with Pringle on the charge of endangering road-users, was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment. Pringle and Howard had each entered pleas of guilty to all charges when they appeared last week. Pringle today asked leave to change his pleas to the forgery and endangering road-users charges and said he wished to elect trial by jury. The Magistrate said he had heard the facts outlined by the police and asked Pringle to state specifically what defence he now thought he had to the charges. “I think I could beat them

in the Supreme Court,” re-i plied Pringle. In view of the fact there: was nothing to show him that anything done so far was wrong, or that Pringle’s pleas were ambiguously or improperly made, the Magistrate declined to accept the request. Sentencing the two men. he I

told Howard that drink was clearly a major problem in his case. “You are an alcoholic at 23.” Both men would be returned to Christchurch to be sentenced in the Supreme Court, Pringle on 22 charges of false pretences and Howard on a charge of burglary—since they had absconded from bail.