MAGISTRATE’S COURT Woodend Beach Store Burglary Charges

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31448, 15 August 1967, Page 12

MAGISTRATE’S COURT Woodend Beach Store Burglary Charges

Two youths who said they were elsewhere while the Woodend Beach Store was being broken into on July 9, were each convicted and remanded yesterday to September 4 by Mr P. L. Molineaux, S.M., for sentence on a joint charge of burgling the store. The youths, Bruce Olive Anderson, aged 19 (Mr I. C. J. Polson), and Brian David Carey, aged 20 (Mr J. M. Wilson), both unemployed, pleaded not guilty. The Magistrate said that four youths, including the two defendants, met outside a picture theatre in Papanui and from there decided to go to Woodend Beach. It was decided to get provisions for a shooting expedition from the Woodend Beach Store.

About midnight on July 9, Mr Mitchell, the owner of the store, heard a burglar alarm. As he approached the store from his house about 200-300 yards from the storey he saw a two-tone car leaving at high speed, with its lights off. The police were informed and the car was later stopped on the main road near Christchurch.

Of four persons who were apprehended by the police in the car, two had been dealt with in another court on charges of burgling the store and the other two were appearing today, the Magistrate said.

Anderson denied taking part in the burglary. “I went in the ear with the others to Woodend and walked about 25 yards with them towards the store. Then I heard the sound of a tap dripping and as I was thirsty, I went in search of it,” he said. When he heard the alarm go off, he said he was scared and dashed back to the car with the rest of the party. He was last to arrive back at the car.

Carey said he also went with the youths to Woodend, but while the other two were breaking into the shop, he had felt ill and had gone away to vomit He was just getting back to the shop when he heard the sound of breaking glass, before the burglar alarm went off. “Anderson has told straightout lies to the police and his story about a drink of water was just an endeavour to save his skin. I formed a most unfavourable impression of him in the witness box. He seemed to be evasive and not telling the truth,” the Magistrate said. “Carey too was somewhat unsatisfactory with his replies and in the way he gave his evidence. He said he did not intervene in the burglary, but he was the oldest of the party.

“The law states that when two or more persons decide to commit an offence, then they are all involved in its prosecution. In this case, it does not matter who actually broke into the shop, the defendants were in it right up to the hilt all along,” the Magistrate said. FALSE PRETENCES Lance Arthur Yeo, aged 31, a restaurant proprietor (Mr P. D. Woolley), was convicted and remanded in custody to September 4 on three charges of obtaining credit by fraud and one charge of unlawfully taking a motor vehicle. He pleaded guilty to charges of obtaining credit of Sill by fraud from Munns, Ltd., on July 24, obtaining credit of $lO5 by fraud from Vance Vivian, Ltd., on July 24, and obtaining credit of $655 by fraud from John Morris Car Sales on July 28. On a further charge of unlawfully taking a motor vehicle, valued at $9OO, the property of the Lyttelton Service Station, on July 24, he pleaded not guilty. Sergeant V. F. Townshend aald that on July 27 Vance Vivian had complained to the police that a cheque used as payment by a customer was Invalid. The cheque had been used to buy clothing.

On July 28, Munns, Ltd., complained to the police that a cheque written out by a customer to pay for clothing was valueless. The cheque was written by the same person who presented the worthless cheque to Vance Vivian. The defendant was located at the John Morris Car Sales. He was In the process of writing out a cheque to pay fpr a car worth $655. When arrested the defendant admitted writing out the valueless cheques. He was remanded to September 4 for a probation officer’s report and sentence. On the charge of unlawfully taking the car he was remanded until August 21. THREE MONTHS’ PRISON

Garry Jeffrey Anderson, aged 19, unemployed (Mr G. M. Walker), was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment on each of three charges of theft of goods to the total value of $B7. The terms of imprisonment are to be served concurrently. The Magistrate said that' the defendant was described by the probation officer as a thoughtless and compulsive youth. He said that he could not look upon this as an isolated offence. This was the fourteenth time the defendant had been convicted.

The Magistrate said that the defendant and his friends had systematically looted cars in the Christchurch area. The de-;

fendant was a seasoned criminal at the age of 19. RAMMED TRAFFIC PATROL CAR

David Alexander Thompson, aged 26, an unemployed truck driver (Mr M. J. Glue), was convicted and remanded on bail to September 4 for sentence on charges of using obscene language in Avonhead road on July 16, reckless driving in Withells road, and failing to deliver his car keys to a traffic officer when directed to do so on the same date. He pleaded guilty to all charges. Sergeant Townshend, said a traffic officer saw the defendant’s car being driven at an excessive speed on Carmen road. The officer stopped the car, but the defendant refused to give his name and address, became abusive and drove off. The traffic officer followed and attempted to stop the car again on two occasions. On the first occasion the defendant made a turn and rammed the patrol car and drove off down Baisweil road. The patrol car was rammed a second time when the officer tried to stop the defendant in Avonhead road. The cars were locked together by the impact. DISQUALIFIED FOR 10 YEARS Leonard Thomas Brennan, aged 43, a concrete worker, was convicted and fined $9O and disqualified from driving for 10 years on a charge of driving while under the influence of drink or drugs in Springs road on August 11. He pleaded guilty. Sergeant Townshend said a traffic officer saw the defendant’s car -swerving violently as he drove it through the Sockburn roundabout. Tne defendant was later certified by a doctor as . unfit to drive. - DETENTION CENTRE The Magistrate said that John Edgar Boult, aged 18, unemployed, bad already embarked on a criminal career when he sentenced him to a detention centre on three charges of theft of goods valued at 3178. Boult was Sentenced to a detention centre subject to a medical report. DISQUALIFIED FOR THREE YEARS On a charge of driving in Blenheim road on August 11 while under the influence of drink or drugs, Harry Frederick Victor Lange, aged 49, an unemployed road workman, was convicted and fined $6O and disqualified from driving for three years. He pleaded guilty. Sergeant Townshend said a traffic officer saw the defendant’s car hit the kerbing on the left of the road then straddle the centre line before veering over to the kerb again. The defendant was later certified by a doctor as unfit to drive. Norton Richard Hazeldlne, aged 47, an engine driver, was convicted and fined $65 and disqualified from driving for three years when he appeared and pleaded guilty to a charge of driving while under the influence of drink or drugs in Blenheim road on August 8. DISORDERLY Garry Alfred Terrill, aged 30, a social security beneficiary was convicted and fined $2O on a charge of disorderly behaviour in Pascoe avenue on August 12 and $2O on a charge of using insulting language on the same date. He pleaded guilty to both charges. Sergeant Townshend said the defendant and his wife were told to settle their differences inside their house when a constable heard them arguing and shouting in Pascoe avenue. They went inside but later returned to the street and began to argue again. When the constable approached the defendant a second time he used the insulting language. UNFIT TO DRIVE Charles Kenneth Chesmar, aged 43, a chain slaughterman (Mr L. M. O’Reilly) was Convicted and fined $6O and disqualified from driving for three years on a charge of driving while under the influence of drink or drugs in Paterson avenue on July 28. He pleaded guilty. Mr O’Reilly said it was quite clear the defendant was unfit to drive his car. He was, however, unaware of the cumulative effect of the liquor he had consumed. "He was misled' as to his condition by the break he had had between hotels,” Mr O’Reilly said. PROBATION Garry Bernard Barrett, aged 19, unemployed, was placed on probation for a year, when he

appeared for sentence on two charges of - theft and a charge of unlawfully taking a motor vehicle. He was also fined $6O. The Magistrate said that the defendant was ope of. a team that went around the street) of Christchurch looting from parked cars. Stanley Clyde Stewart, aged 19, a poultry farm hand, also appeared for sentence on two charges of theft and one charge of unlawfully taking a motor vehicle. On the two theft charge, he was fined $6O and he was admitted* to probation for a year of the charge of car conversion. ASSAULT On a charge of assaulting Cedric Joseph Genet on August 12, Horace Samuel Rangl, aged 24, a driver, was convicted and fined $2O. He pleaded guilty. Sergeant- Townshend said the defendant admitted the assault. His only excuse was that Genet had used his telephone at his fiat without his permission. FINED $7O Francis Ronald Tait, aged 43, a glass blower (Mr M. J. Glue), was convicted and fined $7O and disqualified from driving for three yeans on a charge of riding a power cycle on July 529 while under the Influence of drink or drugs. He pleaded guilty. Sergeant Townshend said the defendant admitted having had about 15 beers. He was certified aa unfit to drive. GLASS UNDER TYRE David Anthony Savin, aged 18, an unemployed labourer, was convicted and fined $3O on a charge of behaving in a disorderly manner In Majoribanks street, Wellington, on August 6. He pleaded guilty. Sergeant Townshend said the defendant placed a piece of sharp glass benesth the bsck wheel of a patrol car while a traffic officer was questioning the driver of a car In which the defendant was a passenger. DROVE WHILE DISQUALIFIED David Thomas Moore, aged 18, an unemployed workman, was convicted and fined $6O and disqualified for a further period of one year on a charge of driving while disqualified on June 22. He pleaded guilty. FOUND IN YARD Eric Fryer, aged 20, a forest worker, and Robin John Sinclair, aged 18, an unemployed woolstore worker, were each convicted and fined $l4 on charges of being found unlawfully In the New Zealand Railways goods yard In Carlyle street on August 14. They pleaded guilty. SHOPLIFTING Cyril Arthur Jones, aged 61, an unemployed yard workman, was convicted and fined $l5 on a charge of theft of a tin of tongues and a frozen chicken valued at $2 from Woolworths, Ltd., at New Brighton on August 12. He pleaded guilty. Sergeant Townshend said the defendant left the shop with his shirt front bulging out. A shop assistant then saw him place some objects in a bag on his cycle. He had 23c in his possession. (Before Mr E. S. J. Crutchley, S.M.) FIVE CHARGES A young woman, whose name was suppressed (Mr R. L. Kerr), pleaded guilty to five charges of false pretences at Christchurch between October 21 and 29. The case was adjourned today for a probation officer’s report. No conviction was entered. Detective Sergeant T. J. C. Joy said the defendant went into three departmental stores and brought goods on account, using a friend’s name. “She said that this friend’s father always gave her what she wanted, and thought that she would be able to get away with it because’ of this," he said. The goods were valued at $33.28 and restitution of $24.96 for unrecovered goods was sought. (Before Mr H. J. Evans, S.M.) DETENTION CENTRE David Mowgli Miller, aged 18, a workman, was sentenced to a detention centre when he appeared for sentence on three charges of theft and a charge of unlawfully taking a motor vehicle. ASSAULT A 39-year-old man whose name was suppressed, was fined $lO on each of two charges of assault on July 22 when he appeared for sentence. The Magistrate said that this appearance in Court should be a lesson for the defendant.