MAGISTRATE’S COURT Psychiatrist To Report On Babies' Attacker

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31321, 17 March 1967, Page 8

MAGISTRATE’S COURT Psychiatrist To Report On Babies' Attacker

A young woman who appeared in the Magistrate's Court yesterday on charges of assaulting four babies between February 20 and February 21 was remanded for a psychiatric report. Mr K. H. J. Headifen, S.M., granted interim suppression of the woman’s name.

She pleaded guilty to all charges. The Magistrate said he would instruct the prosecution to bring an application under section 5 of the Mental Health Act. “I am told that a course of mental treatment is imperative to prevent a further breakdown. If the accused is committable to a mental hospital, then she will be. Otherwise, she will be subject to criminal proceedings,” said the Magistrate. Mr M. F. Hobbs, for the accused said his client was very disturbed mentally when she committed the offences, and a report on her mental condition was necessary. The accused was charged with assaulting Michelle Leanne Ennis, aged 13 days, Andrew Murray Read, aged 3 months, and Vivienne Joyce Stewart, aged 5 months, on February 21, and assaulting Susan Gleeson, aged five months, on February 20. SHOPLIFTING Mary Mildred Stuthridge, aged 59, was convicted of theft of goods valued at £1 15s from Woolworths <N.Z.), Ltd., on March 7. An application for suppression of name was dismissed. She pleaded guilty and was fined £l5. Ann Dick, aged 30, a housewife, was convicted and fined £l5 for the theft of goods valued at £3 10s 4d from Clarkson's Supermarket, Linwood avenue, on March 2. She pleaded guilty. NAME SUPPRESSED A youth, whose name was suppressed, was remanded on bail to March 22 for sentence on a charge of receiving two television sets, valued at £166 4s, the property of the Railways Department, when he knew they had been stolen. He pleaded guilty. Detective sergeant Dalzell said that the police made inquiries about articles which were stolen from a goods train between Kaikoura and Christchurch. The accused said he had been given the sets to repair. He knew they had been dishonestly obtained.

CONVICTED AND DISCHARGED Two youths, who admitted receiving a telephone handset valued at £2 4s. the property of the Post Office, when they knew it had been dishonestly obtained, were each convicted and discharged on payment of £1 10s costs. They are Kenneth Roy Duff, aged 18. a workman, and Anthony John Keating, aged 21. a workman. They pleaded guilty. Detective Sergeant Dalzell said the handset was pulled from a call box in Cathedral square and was placed in a rubbish tin outside the Palm Grove coffee lounge. The defendants heard about it, retrieved the handset from the rubbish tin and took it to an address in Sydenham. REMANDED Barry Michael Crone, aged 17, a plasterer’s labourer, was convicted and remanded on bail to March 22 on a charge of unlawfully taking a motor-car valued at £3OO from Noel Park Motors, Ltd. Crone (Mr R. G. Blunt) pleaded guilty to the offence which occurred on November 12. DISMISSED A charge of breaching a probation order against George Charles Samuel, aged 20, a metal polisher, was dismissed for want of prosecution. OTHER CASES Fines and other penalties were imposed on traffic offenders as follows: Failing to give way: Margaret Christine Slade, £5; Manfred Schmidtke. £3. Careless use: Kevin Malcolm Bolt, £6 and witness expenses. £l. Proceeding over stop sign before the way was clear: Gladys Elizabeth Lavery, £6, and paywitness expenses £2. ALLOWING BETTING "The bookie has to be very careful who he is taking bets from because for all I know, you may be a detective,” Detective Sergeant P. R. Thompson, of Wellington, was told when asking why he could not place a bet with a local bookmaker. Ann Block, a hotel licensee (Mr R. G. Blunt) was charged with allowing betting to take place, on December 17, on premises of which she was licensee. She pleaded not guilty, but was convicted and fined £5O, Detective Sergeant Thompson said he had booked into the New Zealander Hotel, St. Asaph street, on December 10 and had observed the movements of a man, Alan Cunard. “Cunard was convicted and fined £75 in this court recently on a charge of being a bookmaker.

"I noted that Cunard was approached 26 times by patrons of the hotel. On 10 of these occasions, money was passed between Cunard and the person,” he said.

“I tried to place a bet myself with Cunard, but was unsuccessful. I mentioned this to the defendant, who said: ’Well, he has to be very careful who he is taking bets from, for all I know, you could be a detective.’ I agreed with her,” Detective Sergeant Thompson said. "I again booked into the hotel on December 17 and it was on that day that Cunard was arrested by the police for his illegal gambling activties.” “There is very little evidence to show where the defendant was while Cunard was being observed on December 17. We only know that she was in the hotel,” Mr Blunt said. (Before Mr E. A. Lee, S.M.) DISQUALIFIED DRIVER

A man who has been convicted five times for driving while disqualified and whose licence has been cancelled until 1974, pleaded guilty to another charge of driving while disqualified in Madras and Colombo streets, and in Bealey avenue. He is Howard Desmond Hanson, aged 25, a mechanic, who was remanded on bail to March 20 for sentence. COSTS AGAINST COUNCIL Costs of £2 2s were awarded against the Christchurch City Council traffic department after a charge against Tex-Tex, a retired United States serviceman, of failing to give way when turning right was dismissed. The costs were awarded to the defendant because it was an inappropriate charge and the prosecution had been informed of this before the hearing began. Mr B. J. Drake appeared for Tex, who pleaded not guilty. FINED <ll Peter John Robinson, a fitter and turner, was fined £5 on a charge of exceeding 30 miles an hour in Tennyson street and £6 on a charge of failing to give way to pedestrians on a crossing. He was ordered to attend a course of traffic lectures. He pleaded guilty to the first charge and not guilty to the second. Mr M. J. Glue appeared for the defendant.

CHARGE DENIED Victor Emanuel Bergamini was fined £5 on a charge of failing to stop at a compulsory stop sign. He pleaded not guilty and was represented by Mr R. S. D. Twyneham. FINED £6 On a charge of overtaking a vehicle stopped at a pedestrian crossing, Anthony Thomas Johnson was fined £6. He pleaded not guilty and was represented by Mr A. P. C. Tipping. FAILED TO GIVE WAY Victor Raymond Buchanan, a barman-driver, was fined £7 on a charge of failing to give way when turning right. He pleaded not guilty, and was represented by Mr W. A. Wilson.

(Before Mr E. S. J. Crutchley, S.M.) FALSE PRETENCES

Joseph Patterson Munro, aged 55. a retired clerk <Mr K. N. Hampton), and Jack Huxley, aged 51, a painter (Mr P. J. Thompson) were convicted on a charge of false pretences. They pleaded not guilty. Yvonne Armstrong, a punchedcard operator for the Butler Cycle and Motor Company, said that on October 10 a man presented a cheque for £9. The cheque, signed “J. Huxley,” was used to reduce an account by £2, and £7 was given in change. The cheque was returned by the bank.

Detective-Sergeant Robert Graham McMeekan said that Huxley told him he had written the cheque for Munro, who had promised to replace the money in the bank account to cover the cheque. Detective Douglas Scott said that Munro said he had cashed the cheque for Huxley, who was short of money and also owed some money to Huxley. Munro had taken the cheque, which had Huxley’s name and address on the back, to Butler’s shop. The Magistrate said that the evidence to convict Huxley was more than sufficient—he knew there was no money in his bank account. Nor did he accept what Munro said, as parts of his account were improbable. Huxley was remanded until March 21 for sentence. "This is a difficult matter,’’ said the Magistrate to Munro, who was appearing for sentence on three other charges of false pretences. “In October, 1965, you were put on two years’ probation on two charges of false pretences, but have continued to bumble into these offences.

"You left a wide open trail and couldn’t help being caught. The Court must take into account your compulsive gamb. ling and periodic drinking, and has got to impress on you the need to keep out of trouble.” In sentencing Munro to four concurrent terms of three months in prison, the Magistrate said he was taking into account Munro’s health. ASSAULT ON WIFE

Jack Douglas Miller, aged 57, a cleaner, pleaded guilty to assaulting his wife. Elsie Miller, on March 13. Miller, who was not represented by counsel, admitted that he had two previous convictions for assaulting his wife. “She starts it—she hit me first. She’s got a hot temper,” said Miller. He was remanded to March 23, in custody, for sentence. FINED £3O Royston Dean Samuel Sutton, aged 43, was fined £3O when he appeared for sentence on a charge of receiving a wrist watch valued at £lO 10s on March 6, knowing it to have been stolen. IDLE AND DISORDERLY Yvonne Zoe McDonald, aged 17, unemployed, was put on probation for two months when she appeared for sentence on a charge of being idle and disorderly in that she had insufficient lawful means of support. on March 8. (Before Mr P. L. Molineaux, S.M.) SMUGGLING Donald Francis Nee, a watersider, pleaded guilty to a charge of smuggling into New Zealand eight transistor radios and a binocular, of a total value of £llO, on February 13.

Mr R. F. Powell told the Court that the defendant had been seen leaving the Crusader carrying a bag. When apprehended, he attempted to throw it into the sea.

Nee, who was represented by Mr J. W. Dalmer, was fined £4O. ASSAULTED MASTER

When a drunken seaman wearing a funny hat was forbidden to take the wheel of the Cretlc, he assaulted the master, the Court was told. Bryn Thomas Jones, aged 26. pleaded not guilty to a charge of assaulting Victor Henry Vizer, the master. He pleaded not guilty and conducted his own defence. Jones pleaded guilty to charges of desertion and refusing to obey a lawful command. He was remanded in custody to March 23 for sentence.

Mr M. J. Cashmere appeared for the shipping company. The charges arose from an incident in the darkened wheelhouse of the Cretic on the evening of March 7 soon after the ship had sailed from Dunedin for Bluff.

Vizer said that about 9 p.m., Jones, who was to be helmsman, came to the bridge wearing a funny hat and obviously drunk.

He left, but about 9.15 p.m. came up the stairs to the chartroom and witness told him he could not take the wheel. Jones demanded to know why. "I told him I did not have to give him a reason but told him it was because he was drunk.” Jones had replied: “I can steer the ship better when I am drunk than other people can when they are sober.” Vizer said he walked on to the bridge and Jones approached him. He told Jones that he was interfering with Jhe safe navigation of the vessel and told him if he did not go away he would be prosecuted.

Jones said that he knew what was wrong with him and used obscene language. Jones came towards him with his hands raised and struck him on the left shoulder. Witness then struck Jones because he thought he was going to hit him again. The second officer put a neck hold on Jones and the cadet helped hold him. Jones became violent and was escorted away using obscene language. When asked if he wished to cross-examine Vizer, Jones said: "I have nothing to say. It was an interesting comedy.” Giving, evidence, Jones said his hands were at his sides at all times. He admitted abusing the captain but said it was the captain who struck the first blow. "I would not have taken the wheel if I thought I was incapable. There was no reason for violence." To Mr Cashmere, Jones admitted that he did get carried away and that he had been drunk quite a bit on this trip and that he had been absent without leave. He had had pay docked on a number of occasions and not had a single day off. The Magistrate said tie had no hesitation in accepting the evidence of the prosecution. The defendant had admitted that there was bad blood between him and the captain. Asked if he had anything to say about penalty, Jones replied that he would accept anything that would get him off the vessel. He was not in a position to pay a fine because he had a wife and three children. SOLD POISON Miriam Emily Anstiss, a storekeeper. was fined £4 on a charge of selling poison without a licence on May 30, 1966. FAILED TO GIVE WAY Peter Wright Entwistle, a butcher, aged 18 (Mr L. M. O’Reilly), pleaded not guilty to a charge of failing to give way to Charles Raymond Grayson, a cyclist, in Lincoln road, on February 20. Entwistle was convicted and fined £7 10s. Arthur James McDonald (Mr D. H. Stringer) pleaded not guilty to a charge of failing to yield the right of way to a car driven by Michael John Eyreton, when turning right from Devon street into Colombo street on January 29. He was convicted and fined £7 10s.