MAGISTRATE’S COURT Convicted On Attempted Burglary Charge

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31366, 11 May 1967, Page 9

MAGISTRATE’S COURT Convicted On Attempted Burglary Charge

A charge of attempted burglary of the Southern Cross Hotel on March 17 was denied by Thomas Hodges, aged 29, a university student, in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. He was convicted and remanded for sentence until May 17 by Mr E. A. Lee, S.M. Hodges was represented by Mr R. G. Blunt Hodges said he had left a party in Selwyn street in the early hours of the morning, and when he was in Moorhouse avenue a car pulled up and he was asked by the occupants if he had any money. The occupants, who he thought were Islanders, because of the way they spoke, parked the car and got out, and Hodges said he made off and banged on the front door of the hotel to attract attention. but got no reaction. He said he then climbed over the fence enclosing the yard.

"I was a bit winded, and lay there for a minute. Then I yelled out and broke two windows. Nobody came, so I smashed a third window —the whole window to attract attention,” said Hodges. “I was starting to sober up, and realised I was on an enclosed yard.” He then climbed back over the fence, and fell on his back.

Being a recidivist, his reaction upon seeing the police outside was to run, said Hodges. Constable Barry William Thomas said he saw a man fall on his back and get up and run south. He called in vain for the man to stop.

He gave chase down Hazeldean road to Lincoln road, and saw the man disappear through a hole in the fence of the Addington Timber Company, but a train prevented his continuing the pursuit.

Constable Frank Bell, who was in the area in a patrol car, said he saw a man crouched outside the Addington Timber Company. The man got to his feet, and Constable Bell chased him into Hagley Park. The man, who was Hodges, fell exhausted to the ground. He was carrying his shoes in his hands.

Hodges had said that he was being chased by two men who were trying to rob him.

The police prosecutor, Detective Sergeant A. B. Dalzell, asked Hodges why he had not used the telephone near the hotel.

“1 had no money,” replied Hodges, who said he did not realise that he could have dialled 111.

Detective Sergeant Dalzell: Surely a man of your intelligence would know you could dial 111?

Hodges: But I’ve been in Paparua, and didn’t know. I know now though. Mr Blunt said that Hodges had only come out of Paparua in March, and had done his studies while there. “The defendant’s intentions are known only to himself, and the court can only form inferences,” said the Magistrate. “It is significant that when he climbed out of the hotel yard, he made no attempt to reconnoitre.

"Louvres were found missing from the toilet window, which seems consistent with an attempt to enter the building.

"If I’ve drawn the wrong inferences from the story, it is the defendant’s own fault. This story is too inconsistent with the truth.”

Hodges pleaded not guilty and was remanded for fixtures on three further charges when he appeared before Mr K. H. J. Headifen, S.M. He was charged with being a rogue and a vagabond in that, being a reputed thief, he frequented Barbadoes and Lichfield streets with felonious intent; with being found without lawful excuse on an enclosed yard at 208 Lichfield

street; and with being found without lawful excuse in an enclosed yard at 218 Barbadoes street All offences were alleged to have taken place on April 10. (Before Mr E. A. Lee, S.M.) BURGLARY A man who pleaded guilty to breaking and entering Coker's Hotel on April 22, left some of the proceeds in the police car in which he was later taken | aW Mbchael Cyril Bell, aged 39. a painter, had gone Into an unlocked room at the hotel and taken property and cash to a total value of £23 4s, said Sergeant A. D. Stevenson. , The property included a camera, jewellery and cosmetics. All except the cash was placed in the police car. Bell had been drinking.

Bell also pleaded guilty to forging a cheque at Auckland on September 29. last. He had signed the cheque which was made out for £5, “G. M. Porteous,” said Sergeant Stevenson. Bell, who was represented by Mr R. G. Blunt, was convicted and remanded in custody for a probation officer’s report and sentence on May 17. SHOPLIFTER *•1’11 suppress the defendant’s name in this case, but the time may come when the practice will be reviewed. Publicity seems to be the only thing they're afraid of,” said the Magistrate when he convicted a woman of stealing goods worth £1 Is 2d from a shop. Sergeant Stevenson said the woman was seen selecting the items about 1 p.m. on March 30. She paid for a pair of pyjamas before leaving, but said the other items had been bought earlier.

IDLE AND DISORDERLY The defendant was well known to the police, and had no prospects of getting work or lodging, said Sergeant Stevenson when Patrick Tighe pleaded guilty to a charge of being idle and disorderly in that he had insufficient lawful means of support on April 9. Tighe, aged 57, unemployed, was imprisoned for three months. , , When arrested in Hagley Park he had been drinking methylated spirits and had 2s 3d in his possession, said Sergeant Stevenson. FINED £4O Bernard Joseph Nolan, aged 38, a truck driver, was fined £4O and disqualified from driving for three years when he pleaded guilty to driving while under the influence of drink or drugs.

Sergeant Stevenson said that about 7.40 p.m. on April 24, Nolan was driving west along Hereford street when he swung right at the intersection of Madras street and Hereford street.

His vehicle mounted a gutter and narrowly missed a tree. He put out the lights and backed the car.

Nolan was unsteady on his feet and was certified as being unfit to drive. ADJOURNED “You’re taking a very dangerous path. If you’re still living in the same circumstances the chances are you’ll go back to where you came from,” the Magistrate told John Robert Snowden, aged 20. an unemployed driver and coalminer, who pleaded not guilty to being idle and disorderly in that he had insufficient lawful means of support. The case was adjourned until May 26, and Snowden (Mr T. M. Wilson), was told to get a job and leave the house he was staying in. Detective-Conatable M. A. Ealam said he visited a house in Hanmer street on May 3 on another matter, and there interviewed the defendant. He said Snowden ladmitted not having worked for two weeks and a half and had twopence in his possession. MISCELLANEOUS CASES

Miscellaneous prosecutions (court costs £1 10s in each case) were: Drove motor scooter without licence: Peter Mac Ewart, £5 (careless use. £5). Failed to give right of way: Raymond Thomas Dineen, £7. Unlawfully procured rifle: Phillip Sydney Hodgson, £3. Careless use of motor scooter: Francis Michael O’Gorman, court costs only (no warrant of fitness, £1) plus witnesses expenses £6. (Before Mr E. S. J. Crutchley, S.M.) ASSAULT CHARGES Brian Leslie Cleary, aged 24. a barman, was fined a total of £2O on two charges of assault on a female. He was ordered to pay witnesses’ expenses of £2. Cleary, who pleaded not guiltv to both charges, was represented bv Mr D. H. Stringer, who said the offences arose out of a domestic dispute. TRAFFIC CHARGES On traffic charges brought by the Transport Department fines were imposed as follows, with costs of £1 10s on each charge:

Exceeded 30 miles an hour: Donald Thomas Manson, £4:

Kevin James Braden, £4: Jervis Cecil Davis, £6 and licence cancelled for three months: Bruce Faith, £4: Rex Gussette, £4: Greta Lilian Noy, £3; Christopher Edward Pallett, £4; Paul Brett Sanderson, £5: Arthur Robert Smitheram, £4; George Rima Tamatoa Tuaine, £5: John Duncan Colquhon, £5; William Gray, £7 IDs; Stewart Ernest Mair, £5; Daniel David Robin. £5 and licence cancelled for three months: Grant Gardiner Booth £6: John Charles Grant, £4: Christopher Paul Harris, £6: Idris Julian Hugh Kelly, £5: Maurice James Mallock, £4; Trevor Thomas Marquet, £5: David (Roger Marsh, £4: Marshall David Mercer, £5; William John Morgan, £5; Clarence Edward Osborn, £4; Dorothy Helen Skeddon, £2; Douglas Gavin Thomson, £4 (failed to produce driver's licence, £5); Alan Maurice Tillson, £3: Anthony John Turner, £2: Norma Mae Waters, £4; Robert Millar Archer Wilson. £4: Maurice Thomas Bain, £4: Agnes Jocelyn Barnes. £4: Gregory Mathew Bates. £4: Noel Christopher Bonney, £5: Albine Esther Bowman, £2- Brian John Broadbent, £4: Tudon Chin, £2; Jeffrey James Cowlin, £5: Colin Leslie Cox. £5: August Bruce Davis, £5: John Cornelious de Jong, £4 fno safety helmet, £2): Geoffrey Marmaduke Dixon, £4; Doreen Gibbs, £4: Wayne Gavin Hart, £4; Thomas Hayward Hassall, £4; Robert Francis Hewson. £4; Thelma Kettle, £6: Athol Galvin Lilly. £4: Malcolm Alexander McDonald. £4; Robert Donald McKenzie. £6: Bruce Malcolm Magmusson, £4: Francis Karl Morris, £5: John Raeburn Murdoch £5: Jan Murray, £4; Jean Napier O'Neill, £10: Kelvin John Parker, £6; James George Patton. £4; Judith Dawn Tull, £4; Bruce Gordon Waldron, £5; Cornelious Antonius Ward, £4: Gillian Wolveridge, £4. Failed to stop at stop sign: Dirk Albert Johan Bosch, £5; Andrew William Fettes, £1; Michael Edward Fitzgibbon, £5: Graham Lewis Holloway, £3: Diana Wellman, £3: Alan Admore, £2: Robin Stafford Clark, £3: Edward Andrew Gobbe, £5: Brian Patrick Schimanski, £3.

Failed to display L plate: Norman Barry Johnstone. £2 and licence cancelled for a month.

Crossed against lights: Ronald James Smart, £5 and licence cancelled for one month; Anthony Charles Blackett, £5 and licence cancelled for one month; Peter Lloyd Machirus, £5 (failed to produce driver’s licence, £5). Permitted use of unlicensed motor-vehicle: Frank James Menzies, £5.

Exceeded 40 miles an hour Francis Joseph McQueen, £6. Exceeded temporary speed limit: John Walter Christie, £4; Warren Albert Groton. £3; Raymond William Johns, £4. Defective silencer: Hugh Wiliam McGregor. £2; Keith Rdymond Palmer, £5. No certificate of fitness: Norman Clark, £5 (heavy traffic licence not carried, £3).

Exceeded 40 miles an hour with trailer: Gordon Francis Common, £4 (no warrant of fitness, 10s).

No driver's licence: Kenneth Roy Duff. £5 and licence cancelled for six months; Derrick Somerville, £5. Insecure trailer: Henry Revel Huddleston, £5: Frederick Cory, £5: Gordon Graham Wilson, £1

10s, Insufficient lights: Trevor John Sheriff, £5; Wayne Francis Abernethy, £2; Thomas Rapana Moanaroa, £3 (failed to produce driver’s licence, £5; no warrant of fitness, £3). No rear vision mirror: John Ross Stapley, £5. Registration plate not affixed: Sydenham Service Station, £2 10s.

Heavy traffic licence not carried: Templeton Transport, Ltd., £5.

Careless driving: Alex Kiddie, £3; Keith Douglas Vallance, £7 and licence cancelled for three months. Exceeded 30 miles an hour without safety helmet: Eric William Adams, £2 (exceeded 45 miles an hour with pillion passenger, £5). No warrant of fitness: John Brooks, £l.

Failed to dip lights: Terence Russell Bryant, £3; James Neal Lange. £3, Exceeded statutory axle weight: Christchurch Ready Mix, Ltd., £3; B. J. Hale, Ltd., £5. Failed to keep to the left: Neville Francis Guthrie. £5 (exceeded 55 miles an hour, £6 and licence cancelled for total of nine months on both charges). Proceeded from stop sign before way was clear: Edward William Suhlings, £5. (Before Mr P. L. Mollneaux, S.M.) BORSTAL TRAINING Tony Roberts, aged 18, unemployed (Mr J. M. Wilson), was sentenced to Borstal training whep he appeared for sentence on charges that on April 20 he broke and entered the premises of Vance Vivian, Ltd., Surf Side Mall, and that he unlawfully got into a car on the same date.

FURTHER REMAND James Paul Gable Clark, aged 27, a painter, was further remanded till May 17 when he appeared for sentence on a charge that on April 6 at Invercargill he stole £2OO, the property of John Francis Clark. He was also remanded to the same date after having pleaded guilty to a charge that on April 21 he had by means of a false pretence obtained clothing valued at £l3 18s 6d and Is 6d in cash from John Darmy. Ltd., Christchurch.