MAGISTRATE’S COURT Probation And £70 In Fines For Theft And Burglary

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31315, 10 March 1967, Page 10

MAGISTRATE’S COURT Probation And £70 In Fines For Theft And Burglary

s An 18-year-old youth, Ken e neth James NankivelL a fac a tory hand (Mr A. P. C. Tip r ; ping) was sentenced to tw< • years’ probation when hi y appeared before Mr E. S. J Crutchley, S.M., in the Magis e trate’s Court yesterday, on i s charge of burglary and a ? charge of theft. 1 On the charge of burglary he was lined £5O, and on the - other charge he was fined £2O. ; Both offences occurred on . February 13. . The defendant was charged f with theft of a motor, valued . at £5, the property of the City , Wrecking Company and the ► burglary of the Bewley Fruit Supply. The Magistrate said the i accused was obviously driving ‘ a car for his partners to make ’ a geta-way. He said that if the defendant carried out his term of probation all would be well, but he could appear in court again if necessary. FINED £5O James McGovern, aged 29, a drainage labourer pleaded guilty to a charge of driving while under the influence of drink or drug, and was- fined £5O and disqualified for three years. Sergeant A. D. Stevenson said that about 9.45 p.m., the defendant drove into a blind street in Lyttelton, and when he attempted to reverse, drove over a bank, McGovern was unsteady on his feet when seen by the police. Mr M. J. Glue, for McGovern, syid there was no recklessness or speed involved.

RECEIVING Royston Dean Sutton, aged 43. unemployed, was convicted and

1- remanded until March IS for a ». probation officer's report and " Sentence when he appeared on '■ a charge of receiving a man’i o watch valued at £lO 10s on March e 8 at New Brighton. , Sergeant Stevenson said that ' the defendant had received a 1- watch from another man in a g New Brighton hotel. . The defendant said "he wouldn't worry about bail” and was remanded in custody. THEFT A 17-year-old youth, whose '■ name was suppressed (Mr S. G. 1 Erber) was fined £lO when he appeared for sentence on a > charge of theft of a gearbox } housing valued at £l5, the proI perty of the New Zealand 1 Government on January 20. > Mr Erber said that the offence ; was committed while the de--1 fendant was intoxicated. Judith Anne McAra, aged 20, • a clerk (Mr P. J. Mahar) was , placed on probation for IS ’ months when she appeared for - sentence on a charge of theft of £94, the property of Taylor’s . Cleaners and Dyers, Ltd., be- , tween July 1. 196 S and February 8, 1967. ’ IDLE AND DISORDERLY Yvonne Zoe McDonald, aged 17, unemployed (Mr D. H. Stringer) was convicted and remanded until March 16 on bail for sentence on a charge of being an idle and disorderly person with insufficient means of support on March 8. She pleaded guilty. OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE Richard Bernard McKernan, aged 45, a factory hand, was fined £5 for using offensive language over a telephone on February 4. Mr R. G. Blunt, for McKernan, said the language complained of was a moderately mild reply to a police constable, and was in the tenor of the conversation. The constable had also used offensive language and McKernan was considering laying a private information. The Magistrate said that McKernan had not shown any regard for the police in the past. McKernan pleaded guilty. FINED £3 Peter Donald McNair was fined £3 for failing to notify the probation officer of a change of address. f . TRAFFIC CASES

Failed to give way to right: Roger Preston Hall, £8 (no warrant of fitness, £1); Brian Lawrence Bugden. £9 (no warrant of fitness, £1); Brian Owen Stewart, £lO, disqualified for three months. Careless use: Gayner Bella Lorraine Low, £6. Crossed railway crossing while warning device in action: John Gerrit Vant-Veen, £7. (Before Mr K. H. J. Headlfen, S.M.) FINED FOR ASSAULT

"With a record like this, you should strongly avoid getting in any brawls," John Robert Snowdon was told by the Magistrate when he and George Leonard Jury appeared for sentence on charges of assaulting Arthur John Hope on February 23. The Magistrate said the complainant did not appear to be a particularly commendable person.

“It is no concern of mine what you do in the future,” he told the defendants. "But if you get into further trouble, the Court will be forced to send you to prison." Snowdon, aged 18, a driver, was fined £l5, and Jury, aged 20, also a driver was fined £5. Both were represented by Mr B. G. Blunt. ASSAULT "Right up to the time when 'you went round to the side of the car, you had the law on

your »!<!*,'■ >aid the Magistrate to Trevor Harry King,- aged 26. a bus driver, when King was convicted of aeaaulting Michael Robert Vaney on January 5, ,''X W ® wrongs do not make a right, in the view of the Court, and it’s not for you to take the law into your own hands. Certain things were said to you which were unjustified.” he said. Because witnesses' expenses were £l3, King was ordered to pay costs only. King said that he was standing on the kerb in Cathedral square, when a car drove up to him to park. He was asked to move, by the driver, and when he refused, the car moved forward and hit him. He then walked round the side of the car and the assault took place. He alleged Vaney had said, "I’ve got authority in this town. I’ll get you a month cold for this.” DISMISSED

A charge of incurring a debt of £2 2s by fraud against Allan Charles Buchanan, aged 36, a diesel mechanic, was dismissed. Buchanan (Mr S. G. Erber) said he and four other persons had meals at the Railway Cafeterla on January 13 and there was a misunderstanding over payment. This was worked out and the money paid by the defendant. MISCELLANEOUS Miscellaneous prosecutions were:—

Shop open for busineee when required to be shut: Prebbleton General Store, Ltd., £6. Failed to furnish return of income: Nicolas James Bain, £5. Neglected to comply with direction of noxious weeds inspector; Malcolm Donald Gillies, £8; Christopher Michael Fleming, £5. Failed to register dog: K. A. McGregor, £l5 (third offence for the same dog). Placed rubbish in public place: William Watson Munro, £8; J. Watkins, £lO. (Before Mr P. L. Molineaux, S.M.) CHARGE DISMISSED

"There’s a direct conflict of evidence here, which can only be resolved by other, independent witnesses,” the Magistrate said, dismissing a charge against Thomas Basil Gillard, a company director, aged 49. of overtaking a vehicle stopped for pedestrians on a crossing. George Elder Henry Wilson claimed that a car had passed him while he was giving way to three girls at the crossing in Lincoln road near its intersection with Clarence road, on November 23. The defendant, who was represented by Mr N. G. Hattaway, had no recollection of the incident. CASE ADJOURNED

The hearing of a charge against Gaile Annette Muirson, aged 23, a hairdresser (Mr K. N. Hampton), of driving at a speed which might have been dangerous, was adjourned partheard after the prosecution case had been given. Traffic Officer W. J. Round

gave evidence that Muirson had driven in Park terrace and Harper avenue at 65 miles an hour, and overtaken at 70, on the night of December 4. A submission by Mr Hampton, that danger .to other, traffic had not been proved, was rejected. FAILED TO STOP Robert Walter Gilbert, aged 22, a truck driver, pleaded not guilty to a charge of failing to stop at a pedestrian crossing governed by a - school patrol. He claimed that the signs were not extended when he passed over the crossing in Ferry road on October 27. Gilbert, who was represented by Mr p. F. Tempero, was convicted and fined £lO.