MAGISTRATE’S COURT Nine Months' Gaol For False Pretences

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30976, 4 February 1966, Page 10

MAGISTRATE’S COURT Nine Months ' Gaol For False Pretences

Sydney Sullivan, aged 36, ! a contractor, was sentenced i to nine months’ imprisonmenit when he appeared for sentence before Mr E. S. J. Crutchiey, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday on four charges of false pretences. Mr M. J. Glue, for the j accused, said that Sullivan had an extensive list of conIvictions. He was not a cap|able businessman and that, with bad luck with some of his machinery and his fondness for liquor, had led to his present troubles. “It is true that you have had no convictions for dishonesty since 1949,” the Magistrate said to Sullivan. “You wrote out all but one of the cheques in your own name, and you were bound to be caught. You knew what the consequences of passing valueless cheques would be.” SIX MONTHS’ GAOL I “You have a long list of convictions for dishonesty and you were discharged from prison only last April. Because of your addiction to drink you commit crime to get money to pay for it,” the Magistrate said to Mau-, rice John O’Brien, aged 43, an unemployed cook, when he sentenced him to imprisonment for six months on a charge of stealing articles valued at £174 from the flat of Walllace Rutledge in Worcester street on December 30. FINED £lOO ‘'This is the second time you have appeared for this offence, and it was committed whine you were on probation,” said the Magistrate when he fined Peter Russell Brown, aged 20, a former power-house attendant, £lOO on a charge of unlawfully talcing a truck valued at £BB, the property of the New Zealand Electricity Department, at Mangakino on December 16. Brown’s driving licence was cancelled for a further two years Mr K. M. Hampton, for the accused, said that Brown had lost his job with the department. FALSE STATEMENT Robin Hamiilton McKee, aged 24, was fined £7 10s on a charge of making a false statement to the police that he had been assaulted, and £3 on a charge of being on licensed premises after hours. He pleaded not guilty to the charge of making a false statement and guilty to the charge of being on licensed premises after hours. The charges were heard in the Rangiora Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday. Mr L. M. O’ReiiWy appeared for McKee, who was ordered to pay witnesses’ expenses of £2 9s 2d. FINED £lO “This is a very serious offence, but your motives for driving were well intentdoned. In an ordinary case a heavy penalty would be imposed, but you thought your action might havie preserved the safety of another person,” the Magistrate said when he fined Hugh Clark McWhiinnie, aged 18, an apprentice motor-body budllder, £lO on a charge of driving while disqualified in Lawson street on December 17. McWhinn-ie’s driving licence was cancelled for a further year. , Mr K. A. Gough appeared for the accused. BENCH WARRANT A Bench warrant was issued for the arrest of Hayton George WiiHiams, aged 38, a truck driver, when he failed to appear on a charge of assaulting Gordon Frederick Pimm. CHARGES DISMISSED Charges against David John O’Brien, aged 19, a workman, and Paul Robert Forbes, aged 19, an apprentice carpenter, of behaving in a threatening manner in Cathedral square on September 26 were dismissed. The accused pleaded not guilty, and were represented by Mr R. G. Blunt. REMANDED Terrence Leonard Norton, aged 22 a workman, was remanded ’in custody to February 10 for sentence on three charges of burglary, one of theft, and one of threatening a person with a firearm. John Milton Smith Oakley, aged 17, a labourer, was remanded to February 10 for a medical examination to see whether he is fit to attend the periodic detention centre. He appeared for sentence on charges of making a fictitious telephone call and burglary. (Before Mr E. A. Lee, S.M.) ASSAULT A man who found a group of youths fighting around his car in Gloucester street told them to fight elsewhere was attacked by one of the youths, Sergeant J. M. Phelan said. Frank Sydney Millward, aged 20, who pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting Victor Horton Wilson on January 22, was remanded on bail to today for sentence. Sergeant Phelan said that after the youths were told to move Millward came towards Wilson, who took a jack handle from the car boot to protect himself. Millward punched at Wilson, who stepped back and threw the jack handle in the boot. Millward several times punched at Wilson, one of the punches hitting Wilson on the nose. Millward had no explanation for his actions. £lOO FINE A fine of £lOO, in default 22 days’ imprisonment, with disqualification from driving for 10 years, was imposed on Patrick Thomas Gill, aged 39, a cabinet-maker, when he was convicted of driving under the influence of drink or drugs. Gill (Mr W. F. Brown), pleaded guilty. At 6.40 p.m. on January 22, Gill ran into a hedge at the intersection of Ellesmere and Brookside roads near Burnham, said Sergeant Phelan, He was later certified as unfit to drive. The Magistrate said that Gill, with his record, should go to prison, but because of his widowed mother there would be a monetary penalty. BURGLARY After first telephoning to make sure no-one was present, Lester Cyril Needham, aged 32, a workman, broke into a workshop on Wednesday evening, said Sergeant Phelan. Needham pleaded guilty to a charge of breaking and entering the premises of Sandridge Motors. Ltd., 276 Colombo street, on February 2. He was convicted and remanded in custody to February 10 for sentence. At 8.10 p.m. Needham was seen to climb two fences and pick up a piece of iron to break a panel on the door of the workshop, said Sergeant Phelan, He put his hand through the broken panel and unlocked the door. The police were called and Needham was found crouching behind a car. The office had been ransacked. FINED FOR ASSAULT Apparently objecting to a man looking at him in a city coffee bar, Anthony Lyn Smith, aged 23, a driver, struck the man in the face, said Sergeant Phelan. Smith said to the complainant, “W’hat is the idea of looking at me?” He was intoxicated at the time. Smith pleaded guilty to a charge of assault on January 28. He was convicted and fined £2O, in default 22 days* imprisonment. The Magistrate said that Smith had been heavily fined

for assault, disorderly behaviour, and drunkeness and should go to prison, but he would be given another chance. STOLE CHEQUE William Laird Murphy, aged 37, a labourer (Mr R. F. B. Perry), charged with theft as a servant of a cheque for £39 8s 6d at Lyttelton on November 19, was convicted and remanded on bail to February 10 for sentence. Murphy pleaded not guilty. DISORDERLY BEHAVIOUR When the police were called to an address in Barrington street at 7.10 pm. on January 4 they found the accused standing outside the house shouting abuse and obscene language at the occupants, said Sergeant Phelan after Peter Joseph Kerwin, aged 37, a scaffold workman, had pleaded guilty to charges of behaving in a disorderly manner and using obscene language. Kerwin was fined £2O. FINED £l5 Found by a constable trying to start a car outside a garage at 12.15 a.m. yesterday, Leslie James Harpley, aged 19, a ship’s messman, admitted that if he had been able to start the car he would have driven it to Lyttelton. Harpley, who pleaded guilty to a charge of attempting unlawfully to take a car valued at £230, the property of Joseph Searle, was fined £l5, in default 16 days’ imprisonment. THEFT OF PETROL On a charge of stealing four gallons of petrol, the propertjof the Christchurch City Coun cil, William Garnett Jeffrey Hardaker, aged 48, a driver, was fined £6. He pleaded guilty. Sergeant Phelan said that Hardaker was found beside a truck in the City Council’s New Brighton yard at 9.10 p.m. on Wednesday. The cap was off the truck's petrol tank, and four gallons of petrol was in a tin. INDECENT LANGUAGE Charged with using indecent language in St. Johns street on December 5, Gordon Ashley Moller, aged 23, a workman (Mr J. H. F. Macfarlane), was convicted and fined £l5. The Magistrate said he would accept that the offence occurred before Moller had had medical treatment, but it was only one month after a conviction for a similar offence. ASSAULT Pleading guilty to a charge of assaulting the licensee of the Excelsior Hotel on October 29, Rang! Kotua Kereopa, aged 34, a labourer (Mr G. R. Lascelles), was fined £7 10s. OBSCENE LANGUAGE A fine of £l5 was imposed on Patrick Joseph Murphy, aged 26, a plumber, when he pleaded guilty to a charge of using obscence language in the Copper Cat Restaurant on January 29.

DRUNKENNESS John Quinto Berteis, aged 53, a painter, was fined £2. in de fault 48 hours’ imprisonment, on a charge of being drunk in Worcester street on February 2. having been twice convicted of the same offence within the last six months. CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED BLACKMAIL On a charge of demanding £250 with menaces on January 26, Edward Arthur Newton, aged 43. a retired naval officer, was remanded to February 23 on bail of £5OO, with two sureties of £5OO. The complainant's name was suppressed at the request of Senior-Sergeant G. M. Cleary. An application by Mr M. J. Glue for the suppression of Newton's name was refused. REMANDED John Paterson, aged 22, a seaman, was remanded in custody to February 10 on a charge of rape on January 27. (Before Mr K. H. J. Headifen, S.M.) FINED £25 Richard Keith Young, aged 22. a salesman, was convicted and fined £25 on a charge of encouraging a person to resist the police on January 14. Young pleaded not guOlty, and defended himself. Constable M. K. Mitcheii said that when another youth was arrested in Cathedral square on a Friday night, a jeering crowd of about 30 youths and girls gathered. While the arrested youth was being placed in the police car. Young called out: “Quick! Get out the other bloody door” In evidence, Young denied using the words or encouraging the youth to resist the police. TOOK CYCLE Charged with unlawfully taking a cycle valued at £lO, the property of Sher tin Greenwood, on December 19, Hugh George Wylie, aged 38, a carpenter (Mr L. M. O’Reilly), was convicted and fined £lO. Wylde, who pleaded not guilty, was also ordered to pay a witness’s expenses of £2. SHOP NOT CLOSED Charged with facCiing to close a shop when non-exempted goods were exposed for sale on November 20, Bruce Warren was convicted and fined £6. He pleaded guilty by letter. UNREGISTERED DOGS For failing to register dogs, 15 perans were convicted and fined as follows: Ray Cootes, £5; John Harvey, £3; Violet Wood, costs only; Robert Henley, £5; Ngaire Henry, £6; Leo Holland, £5; Eric Hooper, £5; William Maher, costs only; MilHcent Maynard, £5; lan Patterson, £5; John Fullan, £5; Kenneth Stevens, £3 (failure to comply with Hydatids Act, £10); Henry Tahuhu, £5; Daphne Toombs, £5; Trevor Leopard, £5.