MAGISTRATE’S COURT Year’s Gaol For Theft, False Pretences And Forgery

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31781, 11 September 1968, Page 9

MAGISTRATE’S COURT Year’s Gaol For Theft, False Pretences And Forgery

Donald Walter MacDonald, aged 26, a farm labourer (Mr R. J. Allan), was sentenced to imprisonment for one year when he appeared for sentence before Mr H. J. Evans, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday on 14 charges of false pretences, 10 charges of theft, two charges of forgery and one charge of obtaining credit by fraud between February and May. He had previously been convicted. Mr Allan said a psychiatric report showed that an antisocial attitude was one of MacDonald’s difficulties. The fact that he had confessed his offences to the police, however, indicated a significant step in his improvement. Any form of institutional training would not solve his problem, but merely postpone it. He had never had the full advantage of probation in the past because much of his period on it had been spent in a mental hospital. The Magistrate said one year’s goal was the shortest term of imprisonment he would consider. NINE MONTHS GAOL

Norman William Cole, aged 47, an unemployed workman (Mr S.. G. Erber), was sentenced to imprisonment for nine months and ordered to make restitution of $70.70 when he appeared for sentence on a charge of receiving from Bernard Francis Basan 47 bags of onions valued at $127 on or about July 29, knowing them to have been dishonestly obtained. He had previously pleaded guilty. Mr Erber said the defendant’s main problem was liquor, and on the day of the offence he had had a lot to drink. He had a bad list of offences of dishonesty, but he was a good worker when he had a job. The Magistrate said he was unable to resist the conclusion that imprisonment was the appropriate sentence. “A particularly bad feature is that as recently as May you were treated leniently by the Court and admitted to probation. Now, two months later, you commit the serious offence of receiving.” Basan, aged 41, an unemployed workman, was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment and placed on probation for one year when he appeared for sentence on a charge of receiving 47 bags of onions valued at $127 from Cole on or about July 29. The Magistrate said' Basan had a bad record and he could not avoid a prison sentence. The defendant was ordered to make restitution of $70.70. FINED J 25 Leslie John Sands, aged 24, a driver (Mr R. F. Powell), was fined $25 and ordered to pay restitution of $2O when he was sentenced on a charge of stealing a cheque for $2O on or about April 20.

Mr Powell said the defendant had an unsatisfactory background and succumbed to the temptation of the moment.

FORGERY Pleas of guilty to five charges of forgery Involving three Post Office withdrawal receipts, a driver’s licence, and a warrant of fitness label w*ere entered by Gavan John James Forde, aged 17, a workman (Mr G. D. Turner). The offences occurred in March and April. The defendant also pleaded guilty to charges of theft of two registration plates on April 8, receiving a camera and other goods valued at $lO.lO on February 16 knowing them to have been dishonestly obtained and driving while disqualified on April 7. He was convicted on all charges and remanded on bail to September 18 for sentence. HARBOURING Glen Morris Baron, aged 18, an unemployed .workman, and Sandra Mary Baron, aged 18, a housewife (Mr E. T., Higgins), were convicted and discharged on a charge of harbouring an escaper from the Kingslea Girls’ Receiving Home on July 19. They pleaded guilty. Sergeant V. F. Townshend said Glen Morris Baron admitted allowing the girl to stay in the house for three nights. His wife knew she was from the home because she had previously been there herself. TOOK CAR Nigel Halliday Kareko, aged 19, a soldier, was convicted and remanded in Army custody until September 18 for sentence on a charge of unlawfully taking a car on September 7. He pleaded guilty. Sergeant Townshend said the defendant had been drinking in a hotel for about eight hours. He took the car because his friends left him about 10 p.m. He was angry at this and took the car to get back to Burnham Military Camp. The defendant asked a traffic officer the way to the camp, but it was not until the next day the officer realised the car had been unlawfully taken. It was located at Burnham, and had been damaged to the value of $lOO. FINED $BO On a charge of driving in Wharenui Road on August 24 while under the influence of drink or drugs, Anthony Oscar Cleaver, aged 36, a carpet weaver (Mr A. P. C. Tipping), was convicted and fined $BO and disqualified from driving for three years. He pleaded guilty. Mr Tipping said that although the defendant was certified by a doctor as unfit to drive, the doctor’s report indicated it was not a gross case of its kind. STOLE COAL Danny Hotu Michael Wikaira, aged 26. a workman, was convicted and remanded on bail for sentencing on a charge of stealing coal and briquettes valued at $5.50 on September 9. He pleaded guilty. Sergeant Townshend said a night security man saw two men acting suspiciously in the railway yards near Wilsons Road at about 9.30 p.m. They were loading bags of coal into a car but when he ap proached they ran off. Defendant was located later in a nearby street. TRAFFIC OFFENCES In police traffic prosecutions, convictions were entered and fines were imposed as follows: Failed to give way to the right: Colin Pine Hurrell, $2O: Lawrence Leathern. $2O; Brian Roger Maunder, $lO. disqualified for three months from'September 24 Careless use of motor vehicle: Arthur Maurice Mackrell, $l5, disqualified for two months; Alan Murray Peters, $l5, disqualified for one month. Failed to notify change of ownership: James Peter Doak, $5 (operated unregistered vehicle. $5).

Failed to give way at sign: Leslie John Bouteney, $2O. (Before Mr E. S. J. Crutchley, S.M.) TRAFFIC CASES

On traffic charges brought by the Christchurch City Council Traffic Department fines were

imposed as follows with costs of $5 on each charge:

Exceeded 30 miles an hour: Ann Elizabeth McNickel, $10: Larry James Gregge, $10; John Tatiley Gordon, $10; John Joseph Austin, $10: Mary Evelyn Phylis Banks. $10; Denis Noel Broadbent $7; Robin Charles Buller, $10: David Donald Crichton. $10: Neville Lewis Edwards, $10; Robert George Henry Flower. $10: Leonard William Harding. $10: Douglas Harley, $10; David John Lorimer. $2O: Kevin John O'Donnell, $10; Eugene Wayne Turina, $10; David Stephen White, $10; Kenneth Noel Hitchon, $2O. Failed to give way. Hendrik Gus Hiskemuller, $2O. Failed to give way to a pedestrian on crossing: Leonard Marshall Roscoe Robinson, $2O. Careless Use. Frederick Miles Warren, $10: Albert Robert Weenink, $2O; Roger Maxwell Watts, $2O, and driver’s licence cancelled for three months. No driver’s licence: Anthony George Ringdahl, $2O; Kathy Ester O’Brien. $10: David Andrew Pope, $2O and prohibited from holding a licence for three months. Failed to keep left when turning: Colin Francis Small. $3. Exceeded heavy traffic licence: E. H. Boyce and Company, Ltd, $lO (overloaded rear axle, $10). Failed to display L sign: Richard John Chertle, convicted and discharged; Warwick David Drake, $5: Peter Simon Palmer, $5 (no red rear light. $7). No warrant of fitness: John William Couch. $2 (inefficient service brake, $10); Robin Albert Hood, $2 (inefficient service brake). $15); Robert Edie McNair. $10; Beverley Margaret Ann Sutherland. $2. Unlicensed motor vehicle: Stanley Edward Dunn, $lO (no warrant of fitness. $2): Dudley Robert Muff. $10; Peter DuvalSmith. $2O. Inefficient service brake: Lind, say George Fry, $lO. Failed to give way when turning right: Colleen Iris Hendry, $5. Obstructed traffic officer: Kenneth William Langley, $l5. Failed to stop at compulsory stop sign: Paul John Merrin, $lO (inappropriate drivers licence, $5). Failed to comply with traffic lights: Peter Janies Ritchie. $lO. Failed to carry heavy traffic licence: Smith’s City Market. 92 Insecure load: Leslie Richard Watson. $2O. Permitted unlicensed person to drive: Kathleen Elizabeth Williams. $5. (Before Mr P. L. Molineaux, S.M. $2OO IN FINES A total of $2OO in fines, two years cancellation of licence and a year’s probation were imposed on Michael David Bridge, aged 24. a labourer (Mr J. M. Wilson), on a charge of unlawfully taking a truck on July 21, and another of driving while disqualified. He had previously pleaded guilty to both charges and was appearing for sentence. For the defendant. Mr Wilson said he had been taking pills to counteract an abnormality caused by a bad concussion, and had also been drinking liquor. He said these facts cast doubt on the criminal intent of tl>e defendant at the time of the offence. FINED AND DISQUALIFIED Thomas George Hadley, aged 48, a service manager (Mr G. R. Lascelles), w’as fined $BO and disqualified from driving for three years on a charge of driving while under the influence of drink or drugs. He pleaded not guilty. The Court wa.s told that the defendant was arrested after his car struck a parked van and a motor-cycle in Carnarvon Street shortly before 10 p.m. on July 21. He was certified bv a doctor as unfit to drive.

For the defence. Mr Lascelles said his client had been drinking but was fit to drive. He had possibly suffered concussion in the accident, and the symptoms of this could have been confused with drunkenness.