MAGISTRATES COURT Fined £20 For Offences In Cathedral Square

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31115, 19 July 1966, Page 7

MAGISTRATES COURT Fined £20 For Offences In Cathedral Square

In his efforts to stop a car in Cathedral square a constable had run alongside the vehicle beating on the passenger’s window, but was ignored by the driver, DetectiveSergeant D. Porteous told Mr H. J. Evans, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Robin Edward Gibson, aged 17, a market garden assistant, pleaded guilty to charges that on July 16 in Cathedral square he had failed to stop for a constable when signalled to do so, and that he used obscene language. He was convicted of each offence and fined £lO on each.

Sergeant F. G. Mulcare said that on the evening of July 16 a number of motorists were asked to remove their vehicles from Cathedral square because of the traffic congestion. Gibson, who had been seen to drive round Cathedral square a number of times, earlier was one of the drivers asked to remove his car. Gibson had then used the language complained of and driven off, passing round Cathedral square. As he came back toward the constable he stopped in a line of traffic. When the constable was within two feet of him Gibson pulled his car into the left lane, ignoring the constable’s signal to stop, and drove off.

Later the same night the constable had again seen the car being driven by Gibson in Cathedral square. The constable ran alongside the car, beating on the passenger’s window. The girl passenger in the car looked at the constable but Gibson had not stopped. Later in the same night the constable, while travelling in a patrol car, again saw Gib-

son’s ear. On this occasion it was stopped. When Gibson was spoken to by the police he said he did not see why he had to leave Cathedral square when told to do so by the constable.

OFFENSIVE WEAPON Francis Mowatt Byrne, aged 19, a welder, pleaded guilty to charges that on July 17 in Manchester street, without lawful authority, he carried an offensive weapon. He was convicted and fined £25 and an order was made for the forfeiture of the weapon. Detective-Sergeant Porteous said that about 4 p.m. on Sunday a group of youths and girls was outside a coffee shop. A person told a detective that one of the youths, whom he identified, had in his possession what looked to be a knife.

The youth was searched and on him was found a weapon designed principally as an offensive weapon. It was a piece of iron bar, which resembled a cut-down poker, and had a rubber coating over it so as to lessen the severity of the blows struck. Detective-Sergeant Porteous said Byrne had told the police that he carried the weapon as protection, and if necessary he had intended to use it.

The Magistrate told Byrne that he must realise he had a long list of convictions, and they were very recent. He had already appeared before the Court three times this year, and he could not be surprised if the Court dealt with him severely. FALSE FIRE ALARM

Roger Francis Walter Howell, aged 18, a ship’s cook and baker, pleaded guilty to a charge that on July 16 at Lyttelton he wilfully gave a false fire alarm. He was convicted, fined £2O, ordered to pay restitution of 2s, and a warrant of committal was issued forthwith. Detective-Sergeant Porteous said about 12.9 p.m. the stieet fire alarm in Dublin street, Lyttelton, was broken and the alarm given. When the brigade arrived it was found the call was false. Howell was found and admitted the offence. INSULTING LANGUAGE Brian Gordon Duncan, aged 23, an unemployed workman, pleaded guilty to a charge that on July 17 he used insulting language in High street He was convicted and fined £B. Detective-Sergeant Porteous said the language had been used after a dispute over payment for a meal in a restaurant under Chinese management. TOOK MOTOR-CYCLES Yan Graeme Steel, aged 17, a packer (Mr W. A. Wilson) was convicted and remanded on bail until July 25 for a probation officer’s report and sentence on charges that on June 16 he took for his own use a motor-cycle belonging to Malcolm James Dobson; that on June 18 he took for his own use a motor-cycle belonging to Trevor Phillip Pearce; and that on June 20 he unlawfully got on a motorcycie belonging to Brian John Down. Steel pleaded not guilty to the three charges. (Before Mr E. A. Lee, S.M.) THREE MONTHS’ GAOL “There are no redeeming features about your present offence which was a nasty experience for young girls,” said the Magistrate when he sent John Riley, aged 41, a goods shed workman to prison for three months when he appeared for sentence on a charge of obscene exposure in the Regent Theatre at Rangiora on July 9. The term of imprisonment is to be followed by a year’s probation.

REMANDED IN CUSTODY Vanji Desai, aged 17, a workman, was remanded in custody to Wednesday for a medical examination to see if he is fit to be sent to a detention centre when he appeared for sentence on a number of charges. Last week Desai pleaded guilty to charges- of unlawfully taking a car, valued at £3OO, the property of Clarence John Harper, unlawfully interfering with a car, valued at £lOOO, the property of Sydney William Wales, driving in a manner and speed winch might have been dangerous in Ferry road, failing to stop after an accident and failing to" M escertain if anyone had been injured.

All the offences were committed on the evening of July 2 when Desai was involved in a high-speed chase, struck a tunnel control officer’s car and then ran into a power pole. Mr J. W. Dalmer, who appeared for the accused, said that the offences were due to liquor. Desai had been drinking in a hotel from about 11 a.m. to closing time and had then gone to a party. Restitution of £3OO had been asked for but this did not include the cost of replacing the pole which was broken off. This would be about £75. DISORDERLY BEHAVIOUR “Don’t ever come back or you’ll be in serious trouble,” the Magistrate said to Christopher Richard Morresey, aged 18, an engineer’s workman, when he appeared for sentence on a charge of disorderly behaviour in Colombo street on June 10. Morresey was admitted to probation for 18 months and was fined £l5. REHEARING

Owen Bruce McClintock, aged 32, a contractor (Mr R. G. Blunt) had his driver’s licence endorsed for two years after a rehearing on the question of penalty only on a charge of driving an unregistered vehicle between Waiau and Culverden on February 21. At the initial Magistrate’s Court hearing McClintock was convicted of the offence, fined £lO, disqualified for three months and his licence was endorsed for three years. McClintock appealed to the Supreme Court against the penalty imposed and Mr Justice Macarthur quashed the disqualification and endorsement and ordered a rehearing on those two points. (Before Mr K. H. J. Headifien, S.M.) PROBATION

Norman Desmond Petrie, aged 27, a showman (Mr M. F. Hobbs) was convicted and placed on probation for 18 months when he appeared for sentence on a charge of unlawfully getting into a motor-car on July 12. Included in the terms of Petrie’s probation were orders that he pay £lO towards the cost of prosecution, that he work and reside as directed by the probation officer and that he abstain from intoxicating liquor. Mr Hobbs said Petrie had been drunk at the time and had got into a car on an impulse without any serious criminal intent. MISCELLANEOUS OFFENCES

Minor found in bar: Neville Warren Hill, costs only (minor purchased liquor from wine shop, £3). Minor possessed liquor in a public place: William John Jacobs, £5. Failed to enter lodgers in ledger: Gerald Duncan Langley, £3.

Procured firearms without permit: Andrew McKinley Stewart, £2. Failed to attend annual army camp: Peter James Shaw, £l2.