MAGISTRATES COURT Man Stayed At Two Hotels And Did Not Pay Bills

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31678, 14 May 1968, Page 7

MAGISTRATES COURT Man Stayed At Two Hotels And Did Not Pay Bills

After admitting two charges of obtaining credit by fraud from hotels, David Bryan Branch, aged 31, unemployed, was remanded in custody to May 20 for sentence by Mr P. L. Molineaux, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday. Sergeant J. P. Downes said that on May 9 the police received a complaint from the manager of the Clarendon Hotel that a man using the name of Bryant had booked into the hotel on May 7. He had left the following day without paying his bill for $26.73. Further inquiries were made in the city and these resulted in the manager of the United Service Hotel making a complaint about the same man who stayed at his hotel from April 29 to May 2. He left without paying his bill for board and liquor amounting to $61.43 Branch was interviewed by the police at Leeston. He had admitted that he was the person who had booked into both hotels. Branch had no fixed abode and was a steward by occupation. He had previous convictions. Sergeant Downes said. “I'm sorry for what I've done,” said Branch. “I was looking for a job but could not get one. That was why I could not pay the accounts.” “You were convicted of a similar offence last year,” the Magistrate said. SIX MONTHS GAOL Colin Edward Hodgson, aged 24, a carpenter (Mr D. H. P. Dawson), was sentenced to six months imprisonment and placed on probation for one year when he appeared for sentence on seven charges of burglary. He was ordered to make restitution of $129.45. Kerrie Francis Rush, aged 19, a spray painter (Mr K. N. Hampton), was placed on probation for two years and ordered to make restitution of $129.45 when he appeared for sentence for the seven offences in which he was associated with Hodgson. Mr Hampton said the offences of burglary were committed while Rush was staying with Hodgson. The burglaries were committed to obtain property and ultimately money for Hodgson, who was out of work. Rush gained nothing for himself out of the burglaries. FINED $l5O Robert John Craig, aged 18, an aircraftman (Mr J. M Wilson), was fined $l5O and placed on probation for two years when he appeared for sentence on a charge of robbery to which he had previously pleaded guilty. Mr Wilson said the defendant had never offended before. He was the product of a broken home, had been drinking heavily before the offence, and was suffering from a depressive illness. BOOKMAKING Garry Walter Parsloe, aged 23, an unemployed seaman (Mr G. R. Lascelles), was convicted and fined $5O on a charge of carrying on the business of a bookmaker on May 4. He pleaded guilty. Sergeant Downes said the defendant's activities were observed by an undercover policeman in the Excelsior Hotel. The constable placed two bets with the defendant. When arrested the defendant had a marked racebook and $340.94 in his possession. Mr Lascelles said it was clear th** defendant had not been engaged in bookmaking activities for very long. Being out of work had prompted him to take it up. THEFT FROM CARS

Glen Clinton Reid, aged 18, a mill hand, was convicted and remanded on bail to May 20 for sentence on five charges of theft of car parts valued at $lO4 between May 11 and May 12. He pleaded guilty.

Sergeant Downes said the defendant removed a weather shield, radio, rear vision mirrors, hubc-ps and chrome letterin- from cars parked in the Manchester Street parking building and car sales yards. All the items had been recovered.

The defendant told the Magistrate he wanted the parts for his own car.

“I thought I could get away with it,” he said. RECEIVING

On a charge of receiving a radio and weather shield valued at $BO from Glen Clinton Reid on May 12 knowing them to have been dishonestly obtained. Colin David Chambers. aged 18. a workman, was convicted and placed on protion for one year. He pleaded guilty.

An order was made for the return of the property.

REMANDED IN CUSTODY Michael Rowland Poharama, aged 20. an unemployed workman. was convicted and remanded in custody to May 20 tor sentence on charges of unlaw fully taking a car valued at

$7OO on February 25, failing to stop after an accident, failing to ascertain if any person were injured, careless use of a motor-vehicle, and driving while not the holder of a driver's licence on the same date. He pleaded guilty to all charges. Sergeant Downes said the defendant removed car keys from the trouser pocket of another occupant of his flat about 1.30 a.m.. and drove the car about the city. He struck the back of a car in Moorhouse Avenue and then struck a traffic island before driving off. Damage to the car he was driving amounted to $2OO, and the vehicle he struck. $2BO. ASSAULT On a charge of assaulting Kevin Ashby on March 30. Colin Tupuhi, aged 22. a truck driver, was convicted and fined $l4. He pleaded guilty. Sergeant Downes said that as a result of the complainant’s pillion passenger making some comment as the defendant’s car passed, the defendant stopped and struck the complainant on the face as he forced him back over his motor-scooter. ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE Joseph Floyd Wray, aged 73, a pensioner, was remanded under section 37 of the Mental Health Act on a charge of attempted murder. Sergeant Downes said the accused was not fit to plead and he asked for a remand for one week to enable commital proceedings to be carried out. DROVE UNDER INFLUENCE Andrew Carruthers, aged 45, a cleaner, was fined $BO and disqualified from driving for three vears when he pleaded guilty to a charge of driving while under the influence of drink or drugs in Boon Hay Road on May 10. Bruce Alan Syme, aged 45. a tailor cutter, pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of drink or drugs in Blenheim Road on May 10. He was fined $BO and disqualified from driving for three years. He was represented by Mr A. K. Archer. He was ordered to pay medical expenses of $0.30. OBSCENE LANGUAGE On a charge of using obscene language in Cathedral Square on May 5. Edward John Walker, aged 22, a carpenter (Mr K N Hampton), was convicted and fined $24. He pleaded guilty. Sergeant Downes said the defendant used the language com plained of to two constables as he left a dance hall. FAILED TO PARADE Ronald William Marsh, aged 23. a freezing worker, was convicted and fined $l5 on a charge of failing to attend for parade at Burnham Military Camp between January 10 and January 29. He pleaded guilty. PROBATION BREACH

On a charge of breach of probation in that he failed to report at Wellington on June 29. lan Charles Leslie Farquhar, aged 22, a labourer, was convicted and fined $2O. He pleaded guilty. POLICE APOLOGISE

The police apologised publicly to a defendant for wrongful arrest when two charges against the defendant were withdrawn. The defendant's name was suppressed. Sergeant Downes said he wished to tender an apology to the defendant for the error of the arresting constable. Mr P. G. S. Penlington, who represented the defendant, said the defendant was arrested without a warrant in Moorhouse Avenue on May 5 on a purported charge of failing to supply his name and address after having been stopped by a constable. The defendant had stopped, Mr Penlington said, and he was later charged with an offence for which be was not liable for arrest.

It was now acknowledged by the police that the arresting constable had been wrong when he arrested the defendant. The police had further acknowledged that in fact no offence had been committed at any time which would have justified his arrest.

(Before Mr H. J. Evans. S.M.) THEFT OF CLOCK Kevin Parker, aged 21, a millhand. was admitted to proba-

tion for 18 months and was fined $B5 when he appeared for sentence on a charge of stealing an ornamental clock valued at $13.50, the property of Olive May Norman. The Magistrate said that on the evening of May 2 Parker had ehtered the open front door of a house in Antigua Street and taken the clock. He had had two convictions for burglary. Two years ago he had been fined £5O at Hokitika. "Recently you have not been applying yourself to making an honest living and you have a liquor problem,** the Magistrate said. Parker was ordered to live and work where directed by the probation officer. FINED $35 Richard Samuel Davies, aged 18, an apprentice electrician, and Harland Frederick Ross Jennings, aged 18. unemployed, were each fined $35 on a joint charge of stealing eight gallons of petrol valued at $2.50. Mr D. H. P. Dawson, who appeared for Davies, said it was his first offence. He had played a passive part in the offence as he had only acted as lookout. The petrol was for the other offender’s car. Davies had got into trouble after leaving home to live in a flat. Mr M. J. Glue, for Jennings, said the offence was committed on the spur of the moment after he had been to three parties at which he had drunk beer, whisky and saki. The liquor had a considerable effect on his behaviour. Jennings was a person who had ability. The Magistrate said the petrol was stolen in the early hours of April 27 from a vehicle parked in Lancaster Street. PROBATION AND FINE Peter Waltho, aged 20, unemployed, was admitted to probation for two years and was ordered to live and work where directed and was fined $6O when he appeared for sentence on a charge of unlawfully interfering with a car valued at $2BOO, the property of Hurricane Wire Products, Ltd, on April 24. Mr G. R. Lascelles, for the accused, said Waltho had been lent a car by a friend to look for a job. When returning the car he had run out of petrol and had attempted to take petrol from a car. The vehicle was parked in a well lit area and Waltho was easily recognised. It was a very stupid and unnecessary offence because he could have got money from hi? home for petrol. "You have a bad record for crimes of dishonesty,’* the Magistrate said. "On the evening of April 24 you attempted to take petrol from a car parked on private property in Centaurus Road and were quickly apprehended.’* (Before Mr K. H. J. Headifen, S.M.) "EXPENSIVE TOMFOOLERY” "Thia is going to be a pretty expensive bit of tomfoolery. If you had left your name and address instead of writing the smart note you would have saved yourself $20.” the Magis trate said to Peter John Jenkins, aged 18, an apprentice elec trician. Jenkins, who was represented by Mr W. A. Wilson, was fined $2O and was ordered to attend a course of three traffic lectures on a charge of careless driving and he was convicted and ord ered to pay witnesses* expenses of $l5 on a charge of failing to report damage. He pleaded guilty to the first charge and not guilty to the second. Evidence was given that about 8.30 p.m. on February 22 Jenkins was driving south along Manchester Street when he struck a parked car. He left a note on the damaged vehicle which read: "I hit you. Everyone thinks I’m leaving my name and address.” Jenkins’s number was taken by a pedestrian

Mr Wilson said Jenkins had been following another car which braked suddenly and pulled into a park without warning. His car slewed into a parked vehicle and he wrote the note In a panic. He now realised that his actions were despicable and childish. He had had a change of heart and was going to report the matter when he was interviewed by the police. He had been driving for three years and had no previous convictions.