MAGISTRATE'S COURT Man Fined $60 And Disqualified For Dangerous Driving

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32068, 16 August 1969, Page 16

MAGISTRATE'S COURT Man Fined $60 And Disqualified For Dangerous Driving

Called upon to stop by a traffic officer, the driver of a car travelling more than 60 miles an hour braked so hard that his car went into a series of wild skids, mounted the footpath, and entered a hotel yard backwards, Mr H. J. Evans, S.M., was told in the Christchurch Magistrate’s Court yesterday. James Michael Wenmouth, who failed to appear, was fined $6O and disqualified from driving for two years on a charge of' driving at a dangerous speed, and was fined $5 on a charge of failing to produce his licence when ordered. Traffic Officer D. R. Parks said he saw a car being driven at high speed on the Main South Road at 1.30 a.m. on April 29. He gave chase and saw the car broadside through the roundabout into Blenheim Road. As it passed a van in Blenheim Road, it appeared to slew sideways momentarily.

As the car passed Curietts Road he checked its speed at 75 miles an hour, said Traffic Officer Parks. He switched on his car’s red flashing light and siren, but could not draw alongside because the car was travelling in the middle of the roadway. Checking the car’s speed at 70 miles an hour as it entered the 30 miles an hour zone of Blenheim Road, Traffic Officer Parks drew alongside and signalled the driver to stop. The car slewed round so that its headlights were shining into the patrol car before it left the road and entered the hotel yard. The driver told him he was used to driving in that manner because he had driven racing cars, Traffic Officer Parks said.

CHARGES DISMISSED A charge against Raymond Arthur Trevor Nieman, ot failing to proceed in a particular direction when directed by Traffic Officer J. P. Bowcock, was dismissed, as was a charge of failing to stop after an accident. He pleaded not guilty and was represented by Mr G. R. Lascelles. . Traffic Officer Bowcock said He was on point duty outside the Addington Raceway on March 29. A milk truck came along Halls Road and he signaled it to stop. As it passed him, a mirror struck his hand and he was thrown to the ground when part of the vehicle struck his hip. The truck did not stop. He asked another driver to inform the next pointman. Traffic Officer B. L. Tozer said he had stopped the defendant's truck in Blenheim Road. He formed the opinion that the defendant was not aware he had hit Traffic Officer Bowcock. At this stage Mr Lascelles submitted that the first charge was incorrect, because the defendant had apparently failed to stop, rather than failed to proceed in an indicated direction. The Magistrate agreed and dismissed the information. "No doubt this was a most unpleasant experience for Traffic Officer Bowcock, the Magistrate said. "I have no doubt that an impact occurred, but it has not been shown beyond that the defendant knew

NOISY VEHICLE Keith Ball, aged 21, a factory worker, was convicted and fined 340 on a charge of operating a noisy motor vehicle on February 18 in Carmen Road. On the application of Mr M. J. Glue, two other charges were dismissed, the Magistrate finding that they applied to the same piece of driving which occurred after a traffic officer had authorised the defendant to drive his car home for repairs. OTHER CASES .Other prosecutions, brought by the Transport Department, resulted in convictions, the imposition of 85 court costs, and penalties as follows:

Failed to keep left: F. J. Davis. 820: C. J. Watson. $l2. (Before Mr P. L. Molineaux. S.M.) PERIODIC DETENTION John Ashley Bedelph, aged 20, an apprentice auto-eiectrician (Mr W. A. Wilson), was remanded on bail to August 20 for medical and X-ray examinations for the purpose of periodic detention when he appeared for sentence on a charge of burglary of John Chambers and Son. Ltd, in June and theft of petrol worth $5.40 in May. The Magistrate said the defendant had already been before the Court on several occasions this year. Mr Wilson said the oilence was the defendant s first tor dishonesty. He had played only a minor part. David Hugh Warwick, aged 17, a workman (Mr G. R. Lascelles), who was associated with Bedelph In the offence of theft and who appeared for sentence also on a charge of burglary and two other charges of theft was sentenced to periodic detention for six months. FINED $llO “You made a fool of yourself and behaved very badly indeed,” the Magistrate said when sentencing David Henare Uru, aged 17, a welder (Mr Z. Maciaszek), on charges ot resisting a constable, assaulting a police sergeant, trespassing on Mojo s Nite Spot and wilfully damaging a police tunic on August 1. He had previously pleaded guilty and been convicted on the charges. . , He was fined a total of $llO and ordered to pay restitution of $2. Mr Maclaszek said all the offences related to one incident after the defendant had consumed a considerable quantity of liquor while in Mojo's Nite Spot for a period of more than three hours. He left when requested to do so by the manager, but the trouble started When he returned to speak to a female companion. “The defendant hit out in a drunken haze while being pushed along. It was unfortunate that the one he hit was a police officer.” he said.

SIX MONTHS GAOL Sonny Taurla Rewi, also known as Sonny Rewi Tauria, aged 39, an unemployed cook, was sentenced to six months imprisonment on three charges ot theft of money and property amounting to $74.50 and a charge of unlawfully interfering with a car. He was convicted and discharged on a Charge of failing to report while on probation. The defendant had earlier pleaded guilty to the charges. FINED $lOO Peter Kira, aged 30, an unemployed bushman, was convicted and fined $lOO and disqualified from driving for three months when he pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting lan Wayne McKay on August 14. Detective Sergeant Preston said the defendant opened the complainant’s car door and struck him with several heavy blows about the face, and tore his shirt, as he sat behind the wheel of his parked car in Gloucester Street about mldnlWhen the defendant was 10cated about 2.20 a.m. he tola the police that the man he assulted had earlier forced him off the road by dangerous dnvThe defendant the Court he had been provbfced into the

assault because the other driver had overtaken him on the inside and forced him into the path of approaching traffic. “Yes, but you are not entitled to do. this sort of thing,” the Magistrate said. “This is going back 500 years and you just must not do it.”

FALSE PRETENCES Gary Warren Vercoe, aged 23, a bus driver (Mr J. E. Butler), was convicted and remanded on bail to August 22 for sentence when he pleaded guilty to eight charges of false pretences involving money and goods to a total value of $123 in June and Detective Sergeant Preston said the defendant came to Christchurch from Auckland in June and within four weeks issued eight valueless cheques on his Auckland account. When interviewed he said he thought there were sufficient funds in his account, but admitted giving a false address when cashing cheques. The defendant said hr was unable to get a job in Christchurch and cashed the cheques to keep his wife and baby in food and clothing.

STOLE LIGHT On a charge of stealing a car light valued at $l4 on August 14. Morton Charles Price, aged 18, a metal polisher, was convicted and fined $4O. He pleaded guilty. Detective Sergeant Preston said the defendant ran off with the light after he had been found by the complainant removing the light from his car parked in Montreal Street. The defendant was apprehended by the complainant after a short chage. FINED $4O Leonard Francis Gillespie, aged 50, a pensioner (Mr J. E. Butler), was fined $4O when he was sentenced on a charge of being found by night in a yard at 222 Armagh Street without lawful excuse on July 21. He had previously pleaded guilty. The Magistrate said the defendant had kept out of trouble for 10 years. “LAST CHANCE” Edward Mohi Huria, aged 17. unemployed, was fined $25 on each of three charges of theft and $2O on a charge of interfering with a car. and placed on probation for two years when he appeared for sentence. The Magistrate said Huria seemed to have formed the habit of walking off with other people's clothes. He had been placed on probation before and had served a period at a detention centre, but he would be given a last chance. FINED 1150, PROBATION A fine of $l5O and probation for 18 months was imposed on Mark Valentine Watkins, aged 19, a rubbish collector (Mr R, N. Wilkes), when he appeared for sentence on a charge of unlawfully taking a car on August 5. He was disqualified for one year. FINED $25 Appearing' for sentence on a charge of using obscene language in Cathedral Square on August 4, Andrew Callinan, aged 49 a wool presser, was fined $25. MISCELLANEOUS CASES In miscellaneous cases brought by the police, convictions were entered and fines Imposed as follows, with costs $5 in each case:— Failed to give way: Warren Lindsay McDonald, $2O and disqualified for three months. ’Filled to stop at lights: Marleen Mary Marr, $2O and disqualified for one month. Minor drank in bar: Allen Able, $l2: Brent James Peter Martell, $l2; Christine Edith Pethic, costs only; Norman John Ross, $lO Supplied liquor to a minor: Warren Norman Stone, $l2Minor bought liquor: Mara Christopher Thomason $l2 Minor found in bar. Barry John Wtgzell, $l2. (Before Mr W. F. Brown, S.M.) RESISTED CONSTABLE Rodger Thomas Stocker, aged 18, an unemployed wool scourer, had refused to let police see the contents of his pocket and his lip had been cut in ’ the ensuing struggle, the Magistrate was told. Stocker (Mr J. G. Leggat). was lined $lO for resisting a constable and was convicted and discharged on a further charge of being found drunk in a pubUC He la< pleaded guilty to both charges. Senior-Sergeant F. G. Mulcare said that, at 1-45 a.m. on June 20, Stocker had been taken to the Central police station watchhouse alter being found intoxicated and asked to remove the contents of his pockets. He had refused and, when he was warned that force would be used, put his right hand in his pocket. The contents had been forcibly removed but Stocker’s lip had been cut in the struggle. Mr Leggat said the offences seemed to have occurred through a car accident Stocker had been Involved In last November. He had suffered concussion In the crash and his resistance to alcohol had apparently been lowered considerably. (Before Mr E. S. J. Crutchley, S.M.) AWARDED $279 Easter Motors, Ltd. had inflated the price of two cars to conform with hire-purchase regulations. the Magistrate was told. The company was answering a claim for $279 from Russell Campbell. It was ordered to meet the claim and legal costs. Mr Campbell claimed through Mr R. S. Mating that he had purchased a car from the company on February 20 under a hire-purchase agreement.

A mechanical check on May 20 revealed extensive corrosion on the car’s chassis and it was ordered from the road as unsafe by the Ministry of Transport. The hire-purchase agreement signed by Mr Campbell had not complied with the Hire-Purchase and Credit Sales Stabilisation Act.

The alleged price was $5OO, but Mr Campbell had been given only $225 on his tradein as a deposit.

Because this was below the half-deposit required by the act the company had inflated the new car’s value to $560, and the deposit allowance to $2BO In evidence.' Mr Campbell said alterations to the original agreement had been made after he had signed It.

To the defence counsel, Mr A. N. Maclean, he said he had made no objection to not completing the agreement because the witness. Patrick Maurice Beadel, had said omissions would ba filled tn at a later date. Mr Beadel said two care of the same model had been in the yard at the same time and, because the company director, Ernest James Easter, had probably wanted to get rid of one more than the other, two different trade-in allowances had been quoted. One was $2BO and the other $225.

Mr Easter said Mr Campbell’s trad«-in car had later been sold for $2lO cash. The company could stand the loss because of other successful dealings, he said.

In giving his decision, the Magistrate said the Court must draw the inference that, for the purposes of a hire-purchase agreement, the trade-in value of Mr Campbell’s car had been inflated from $225 to $2BO.