MAGISTRATE’S COURT Youths Admit Breaking Into House And Stealing Money

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31880, 7 January 1969, Page 3

MAGISTRATE’S COURT Youths Admit Breaking Into House And Stealing Money

Two youths who broke into the home of the grandmother of one of them on January 4 and stole a sum of money she had hoarded there, were arrested after a shopkeeper became suspicious when they tried to change a large amount of halfcrowns, Mr K. H. J. Headifen, S.M.. was told in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Appearing on a joint charge of burglary, Ivan Raymond Painter, aged 17, unemployed, and William Hunwick, aged 19, a timber worker, pleaded guilty and were convicted and remanded on bail to January 10 for probation report and sentence.

Detective Sergeant R. G. McMeeking said that on Saturday evening the defendant, Painter, had left his home with three other youths with the intention of breaking into the home of his grandmother.

Outside the house about 10 p.m. Painter met the defendant, Hunwick. who was with another youth. It had not been arranged that the parties should meet, but all had some days earlier discussed committing the offence.

They all knew that Painter’s grandmother did not stay in the house at night, and also that she was in the habit l :

-of hoarding sums of money round the house. The youths went on to the property and Painter reached through a broken window and undid the latch. He went in and opened the front door for the others. ! The house was then | searched by the youths and a I sum of about 850 stolen. Next morning a shop proprietor at New Brighton in- ■ formed the police that ! Painter and other youths had I just left the shop after tenderling a large amount of half- ! crowns, asking for change. ' When interviewed by the police both defendants admitted their parts in the offence I and said the halfcrowns were j part of the proceeds. THREW BOTTLE • Imposing a $6O fine on a youth who threw a bottle at a police van. the Magistrate told him: j"‘The maximum penalty for this [sort of offence is $5OO and three [months imprisonment, and one of these days I will start imposing it.” David Wayne Butler, aged 20. i a rigger, pleaded guilty to a charge of behaving in a disorderly manner at Caroline Bay, Timaru, on January 1.

Detective Sergeant McMeeking said that at 1.35 a.m. a crowd had gathered round a police van, and the defendant was standing at the back of this. A constable saw him throw a bottle over the crowd towards the van, but it smashed on the road.

The defendant saw the constable watching him and ran through the crowd. He was caught and found to have been drinking. FINED $25 On a charge of behaving In a disorderly manner on January 5, a fine of $25 was imposed on Graham Roy Drabble, aged 23, a welder. He pleaded guilty. Detective Sergeant McMeeking said an argument arose while the defendant and friends were having a meal in a restaurant at 2.45 a.m. The defendant and his friends became abusive and a general melee developed in which bottles were thrown, chairs overturned and plates smashed. When arrested the defendant said he had been trying “to break it up.” He was intoxicated. ASSAULTED MAN As a result of an incident in the same disturbance at the restaurant, Maurice Takarua, aged 23, a freezing worker appeared on a charge of assault. He pleaded guilty. The defendant had grabbed the complainant, Ronald Charles Edward, and swung two blows at him. Both had missed but the defendant’s shirt had been damaged to the extent of $4. said Detective Sergeant McMeeking. Fining the defendant $25, the Magistrate said the fine would have been higher if he did not accept the defendant’s explanation that he had been provoked. 18 MONTHS PROBATION Appearing for sentence on charges of wilfully obstructing a traffic officer and driving while disqualified in Hereford Street on November 12, Bernard Frederick Pryce, aged 18, a timber worker, was placed on probation for 18 months and his licence was cancelled for another year. For Pryce, Mr S. G. Erber said it was not a gross case of driving while disqualified, although the defendant had two previous convictions for the offence. He said the defendant had committed a stupid, unthinking action when he had driven a friends’ car around the block to prevent it being double-parked. He had then, given a false name and address to a traffic officer.

The Magistrate told Pryce that he had an excellent probation report and had made excellent progress since coming out of Borstal. “This sort of conduct should be rewarded by not sending you to an institution or fining you,” he said. $l5 FINE A fine of $l5 was imposed on Walker Alfred Thomas Church, aged 52, a Drainage Board labourer. on a charge of assaulting Edna May Church. He pleaded guilty. Detective Sergeant McMeeking said police called to the defendant’s house at 10.20 p.m. on January 3 found the comnlainant ■ bleeding profusely from a scalp wound. Three stitches were needed for this.

For the defendant, Mr J. M. Wilson said an argument had arisen over money and the complainant had attacked him with her fists. When he pushed her away she had struck her head against a shelf wall bracket. The defendant had not hit her at any stage, he said. $2O FOR ASSAULT Ronald James Nesbitt, aged 18, a factory worker, was fined $2O when he pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting Maarten Cornells Maat, on January 3. Detective Sergeant McMeeking said the defendant had spoken to the complainant about 9.10 p.m. in Armagh Street, and had then hit him in the face with his fist for no apparent reason. When arrested by police, the defendant said the complainant had been giving him cheek, and he had lost his temper. FOUND IN YARD

Charged with being found unlawfullv in an enclosed yard at New Railway Hotel. Patrick Charles Carey, aged 30, a carpenter. and Douglas William Randall Green, aged 29, a cabinetmaker, were each fined $lO. Both pleaded guilty. Both defendants had been seen to climb over a gate into the rear yard of the hotel about 11 p.m. on January 3, said Detective Sergeant McMeeking. When arrested by police they said they had gone there to get a 'drink. Both had been drinking. REMANDED Charged with driving while disqualified in Rotorua on May 18, Bruce Chalmers, aged 23, a boilerman was convicted and remanded to January 10 for a orobation report and sentence. Bail was allowed. FOUND DRUNK Reuben Charles Whitford Darling, aged 54, a pensioner, was fined $8 on a charge of being drunk in Armagh Street on January 4.