MAGISTRATE’S COURT Boy Admits Reckless Driving, Car Conversion And Theft

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31653, 13 April 1968, Page 19

MAGISTRATE’S COURT Boy Admits Reckless Driving, Car Conversion And Theft

A schoolboy who decided to run away from home stole a car in Christchurch on April 9 and was involved in a high speed chase with a traffic officer at Waipara which ended in the stolen car being run up a bank, Mr H. J. Evans, S.M., was told in the Magistrate’s Court on Thursday. An application by counsel (Mr M. J. Glue) for suppression of the boy’s name was granted. Senior-Sergeant F. G. Mulcare said a car valued at $2600 was stolen from Christchurch on April 9 and when the car was noticed by a traffic officer at Waipara, the officer gave Speeds of up to 90 miles an hour were reached in a chase over several miles, SeniorSergeant Mulcare said. “The car finally came to a halt when it was run up a bank. “Both the stolen car and the traffic officer’s patrol car were damaged as a result of this and restitution of $360 is sought,’’ Senior-Sergeant Mulcare said. The boy told the police he was running away from home and was intending to get employment in Nelson. He pleaded guilty to charges of reckless driving between Waipara and Motunau, car conversion and theft of one carton of sweets, valued at $1.44. The Magistrate remanded the boy to April 26 for a probation officer’s report and sentence. NINE CHARGES A man who was on probation after his release from prison pleaded guilty to five charges of burglary, one of unlawfully taking a motor car, one of being a rogue and a vagabond in that he had housebreaking implements and one df breach of probation. Hakaraia Zack Andrews, aged 28, unemployed, was remanded in custody to April 19 for sentence. The hearing of a further charge of car conversion to which he pleaded not guilty was adjourned to April 26. Senior-Sergeant Mulcare said the burglaries were commited at Christchurch, Akaroa, Geraldine and Hornby. SIX MONTHS GAOL Thomas Henry Pink, aged 37. a workman, was sentenced to six months imprisonment, to be served at the end of his present term, on a charge of escaping from the Addington Prison. He pleaded guilty. Sergeant J. P. Downes said Pink was a trusted prisoner at the Addington Prison. At 7.30 a.m. last Friday, he went to work as usual in the city. At 4.30 p.m. he and his 40 coworkers were dismissed. He did not return to Addington Prison. At 2 am. he was found on the south express at Timaru. $3O FINES Rodney Neil Harris, aged 17, a farm hand, was fined $3O when he appeared for sentence on a charge of obstructing Constable A. R. Reilly in the execution of his duty, on April 7. Paul Charles Harris, aged 19. unemployed, was fined $3O when he appeared for sentence on a charge of threatening behaviour in Tuam Street on April 7. CAR CONVERSIONS Two men who each converted a rental car from Southland on March 31 and jointly stole petrol, a crash helmet and a pair of goggles valued at $23.16 from Farr Motors, Rangiora. on April 4, appeared for sentence. Victor Taumata, aged 22, unemployed. was sentenced to , four months imprisonment on each charge, to be served concurrently and Charles Henry . Tucker Green, aged 22. unemployed, was placed on probation for 18 months and fined $5O on charges of car conversion and theft.

Both were disqualified from driving for 18 months. IDLE AND DISORDERLY A woman who was spoken to by the police about her association with overseas seamen, Pamela Louise McLeod, aged 21, unemployed, was found to be idle and disorderly at Lyttelton on April 7. McLeod gave the name of Stella Williams to the police and she was charged under that name earlier in the week. She pleaded guilty and was remanded on bail to April 23 for sentence.

FOUND BOOK A youth who found a driving licence and cheque book and used them to obtain money by false pretences was remanded to April 26 for sentence. The youth, whose name was suppressed, was represented by Mr D. H. P. Dawson. He pleaded guilty to two charges at Christchurch on March 8. No conviction was entered. DEPORTATION Leslie Terrence Phillips, a seaman, was fined $25 when he pleaded guilty to being absent without leave from the m.v. Medic on April 4. He was ordered to be detained pending deportation. Mr M. J. Cashmere appeared for the Informant, Dalgety and New Zealand Loan, Ltd.

RECEIVING For receiving a car rug and two rear visdon mirrors which had been stolen from a car sales yard on March 10, from a youth named Brown, John Gordon Frew, aged 17, a factory hand, was fined $35. Frew (Mr L. M. O’Reilly) pleaded guilty. DID NOT STOP Russell Adrian Burke, aged 20, a clerk, was fined $l5 and disqualified from driving for two months when he pleaded

guilty for failing to stop at a red light in Moorhouse Avenue on February 23.

STOLE GEAR LEVER 1 A youth, whose name was ■ suppressed, pleaded guilty to [ stealing a gear lever out of a . car on display in a car sales yard on January 18 and was • fined $35. THEFT Two youths who stole a wheel | assembly out of a station waggon on April 6, were remanded ’ to April 26 for a probation oflft- • cer’s report. The youths, Robert lan Philip, . aged 20, a driver, and John Ray- . mond O’Brien, aged 22, a carpenter, pleaded guilty and were represented by Mr W. Smith. THREE CHARGES Arnold George Neal, aged 25, unemployed, was convicted and remanded until April 26 when he pleaded guilty to three charges of false pretences between March 23 and April 2 at Gore and on the West Coast. Neal (Mr L. M. O’Reilly) pleaded not guilty to obtaining a car, valued at $BOO from Dobson's Service Station, Christchurch, on March 27. DID NOT GIVE NAME Michael Joseph Morgan, aged 17. unemployed, was fined $lO and disqualified from driving for two months when he pleaded guilty to not giving his name to V. V. Wilson, after a motor accident in New Brighton on November 18, last year. REMANDED Norman Frederick Beynon, aged 20. an apprentice carpenter, was remanded under section 37 of the Mental Health Act to a mental hospital until April 26 when he appeared on a charge of robbing Noleen O’Connor of $32 on April 10 at Christchurch. The accused was represented by Mr M. F. Hobbs. No plea was taken. MISCELLANEOUS Miscellaneous offenders were penalised as follows; Failing to give way: Colin Thomas, $l2; Barrie James Hill, $2O and ordered to undergo driving test. Minor in bar: Peter James O’Halloran, $lO (giving false particulars, $5); Michael Wayne Hall, $9; Alan James Piggott, $lO. (Before Messrs R. H. Harris and J. S. Hawker, Justices of the Peace) COMMITTED FOR TRIAL Gary Frederick Coombs, aged 28, unemployed, was committed for trial on charges of receiving from a person or persons unknown 16 coils of copper wire valued at $2896 when he knew they had been stolen, or alternatively with stealing the wire, the property of Associated British Cables, of Sockburn, and being deemed to be a rogue and vagabond in that being a suspected person he frequented the Waimakariri riverbed with felonious intent. On all three charges he is jointly charged with William Maurice Corcoran. Peter Thomas Shearer, Edward James George Ure. Thomas Robert Allingham and Kevin Barrett. These persons have absconded while on bail. (Before Mr J. D. Kinder, S.M.) FINED $25 On a charge of careless use of a motor-car in Papanui Road on December 9. David Uru was convicted and fined $25. and disqualified from driving for three months. He pleaded not guilty. DISMISSED A charge against James Her- I bert Machirus, of failing to comply with traffic lights at the intersection of Colombo Street and Brougham Street on January g, was dismissed. He pleaded not guilty. (Before Mr W. F. Brown, S.M.) SIX MONTHS GAOL James Gardner McCall aged 25, unemployed, was sentenced to six months imprisonment to be served concurrently with his present term of 18 months, when he appeared for sentence on a charge of wilfully setting fire to the house of Katherine Teresa Raven at 171 Peterborough Street on February 18. Mr R. F. B. Perry, for the accused, said that on February 16 McCall was released from Addington Prison where he had been detained because of maintenance arrears. He had little money and nowhere to go. He drank for three days and committed a series of burglaries for which he was serving a term of 18 months imprisonment. The arson was a stupid and impulsive offence which would not have occurred if he had not been under the influence of liquor. McCall had a formidable list of convictions but there was a psychiatric background to the offences. BORSTAL Raymond Neil Forrester, aged 19, unemployed, was sentenced I to Borstal training on 17 charges of burglary. The Magistrate ; said the offences were committed while Forrester was on 1 bail on another charge.

PROBATION Kenneth McKay Annett, aged 53, an odd-job gardener, was admitted to probation for one year, was ordered to live and work where directed and to make restitution of $4O when he appeared for sentence on a charge of stealing a wallet containing $4O and a T.A.B. ticket valued at $14.10, the property of Leonard Lindon Bourne on March 15. REMANDED

David John Smart, aged 18. an apprentice painter, was remanded in custody to April 18 for a medical report to see if he is fit to be sent to a detention centre when he appeared for sentence on 10 charges of unlawfully taking cars and nine of burglary. The Magistrate made an order that he be kept apart from adult prisoners.

BENCH WARRANT ISSUED A bench warrant was Issued for the arrest of Kenneth William Langley, aged 18, a driver, when he failed to appear to answer a charge of stealing $8.05, the property of Judith Patricia Devine. Mr J. W. Dalmer was given permission to withdraw from the case.

SIX MONTHS GAOL Rene Tamaki Tumahai, aged 28, a mechanic (Mr M. J. Glue), was sentenced to six months imprisonment, to be followed by 12 months probation, when he appeared for sentence on a charge that on March 28 he robbed Marilyn Heather Hodges of $237, the property of Kellaways Jewellers, Ltd, Cathedral Square. The Magistrate said the circumstances were not as sinister as usual in cases of robbery. Tumahai was to some extent a disturbed person and his actions at the time had been peculiar. No weapon had been used, and he had hovered round the scene after the offence. The serious aspect was that a young girl had handed over the day’s takings from the business because she thought he had a gun. FINED $5O Noel Edward Minogue, aged 19, a fish splitter, was fined $5O and ordered to pay restitution of $l3 when he appeared for sentence on a charge that on January 19 he broke and entered the Shirley School dental clinic. The Magistrate said that Minogue had been placed on probation for two years last February on charges of Interfering with a vehicle and theft. The offence on which he was appearing for sentence predated those offences. While on probation Minogue had shown an improved attitude. NAME SUPPRESSED The Magistrate adjourned till October 10 the sentencing of a youth whose name he suppressed. The youth appeared for sentence on a charge that on March 26 he attempted to break into the hairdresser's shop of David Hawes, 295 A Main South Road. The Magistrate said he had adjourned the matter till October with a view to discharging the youth if he behaved himself. He ordered the youth to pay, within 21 days, $2O toward the cost of prosecution and $2 restitution. Mr R. S. D. Tyneham appeared for the youth. MISCELLANEOUS CHARGES Breach of Noxious Weeds Act: Blogg Bros, $4; John George Brown, $10; Robert Angus Brown, $lO. Failed to secure guard on dangerous machine: Debonaire Steel Products, $2O, $lO. Failed to furnish income return: Kenneth John Dell, $l4. Failed to register dog: Miri Carneg, costs; John Harvey, $4. Failed to protect milk from daylight: Nelson J. Roberts, $6; Thomas Barry T. Scoliard, $6. Failed to maintain 75ft distance in tunnel: Maurice Barrington, $4 (exceeded 30 m.p.h. without safety helmet, $4.) Overtook in tunnel: Adrian Jacob Laven $7 (exceeded 30 m.p.h.. $4: exceeded 30 m.p.h. without safety helmet, costs).