MAGISTRATE’S COURT Girl Admits Stealing $76 From Employer

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32166, 9 December 1969, Page 10

MAGISTRATE’S COURT Girl Admits Stealing $76 From Employer

An 18-year-old girl, whose name was suppressed because of her age and family circumstances, was remanded on bail to December 16 for a probation officer’s report and sentence when she pleaded guilty in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday to theft of $76.50 as a servant on November 28. Mr H. J. Evans, S.M., was on the bench. Senior-Sergeant F. G. Mulcare said the girl’s employer reported $lOO missing from cash register takings on December 2.

The girl, who was responsible for balancing cash register takings, at first denied the offence but later admitted to her employer she had taken $76.50. She told the police she was tempted by the sight of the money lying on the desk. At the time she was worried •bout payments on a coat she had purchased. After completing these payments the girl spent the remainder of the money on a record player, clothes, and food. REMANDED FOR SENTENCE

Richard James Blair, aged 35, a sawmill operator, was remanded on bail to December 10 for sentence on charges of assaulting De tective B. A. N. Scott in the execution of his duty and wilfully damaging a suit and shirt to the value of $6.50, the property of Detective Scott

Mr R. F. B. Perry, for the accused, who was appearing for sentence, said that mismanagement rather than high living had caused Blair financial difficulties. This was the first time he had appeared on serious charges, but his wife had a long list of offences. He bad bad a good deal of worry because of his financial circumstances and his wife's behaviour. She had telephoned him at work and told him that she had been attacked by two detectives who had searched her home. When

he arrived home his wife showed him some injuries. Counsel did not necessarily accept that what Blair’s wife claimed was correct

Detective Sergeant D. N. Scott said that Blair’s wife was to appear on charges later this week. The Magistrate decided to remand Blair for sentence until his wife had been dealt with. »t(» FINE, DISQUALIFICATION A Sm oi Site and disqualification from driving for three years was imposed on Bruce George Maidens, aged 19, a driver, on a charge of driving while under the influence of drink so as to be incapable of proper control. He pleaded Senior-Sergeant Mulcare said the defendant collided with another vehicle in Gloucester Street shortly after 3 a.m. on December 7. He was intoxicated and was certified by a doctor as unfit to drive. He admitted conauming a large quantity of Uquor. FALSE PRETENCES lan Keith Morgan, aged 42, a

builder's labourer, was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within 12 months when he appeared on a charge of obtaining $2 through fraud by false pretences. He pleaded guilty. Senior-Sergeant Mulcare said the defendant had gone to the Palm Grove Coffee Lounge at 4.30 p.m. on July 23, when the shop was very busy. He told Mrs R. Davidson, who was serving there, that he knew the manager, Mr R. M. Bailey, who had tiven him authority to have >2. he at first refused but he was persistent and was given the money. The defendant had a large number of previous convictions for dishonesty. He was still on probation for previous offences. He had been on a sickness benefit for the last 14 months with a serious leg injury. CONVICTED AND DISCHARGED Desmond Cleland Dickson, aged 30, was convicted and discharged on a charge of stealing a record player, valued at $3O, the property of F. Weir, Ltd, at Dunedin on September 8. He pleaded guilty. Senior-Sergeant Mulcare said that Dickson stole the record player while on a drinking bout and sold it to a second-hand dealer for 820.

The Magistrate said it was a washing up charge. Dickson bad been sentenced to three months imprisonment in September on similar charges and was due for release. DISQUALIFIED, FINED Errol Charles O’Keefe, aged 32, a sales manager, was fined $BO and disqualified for IS months on a charge of driving while the proportion of alcohol in his blood exceeded 100 milligrams per 100 millilitres. He pleaded guilty to this and a charge of careless driving, for which he was fined $lO. Senior-Sergeant Mulcare said the defendant ran into the back of another vehicle waiting to make a turn in Riccarton Road at 10.40 p.m. on October 30. A blood test showed a reading of 180 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. For the defendant, Mr S. G. Erber said he had not seen any signal made by the vehicle he ran into. It had not been a serious accident and no-one was hurt. NAME SUPPRESSED A youth; whose name was suppressed, was remanded under section 37 of the Mental

Health Act until December 12 on two charges of unlawfully taking cars. The accused was appearing for sentence on a charge of unlawfully taking a car valued at $l2OO at Sumner on October 27. While on bail on this charge he unlawfully took a car valued at $l6OO, on November 20. Mr L. M. O’Reilly, for the accused, said that he had taken the second car and went to Wellington with the intention of going overseas. It was obvious that he would have to remain in some form of custody for some time. There was a possibility of the accused being certified. REMANDED Mervyn Anthony Rich, aged 25, an unemployed seaman (Mr W. A. Wilson), was further remanded until today for sentence when he appeared for sentence on four charges of burglary, and charges of beirtg idle aifd disorderly, obstructing a constable and attempting to escape from custody. Ronald Fields, aged 26, a railway labourer (Mr W. A. Wilson), was further remanded until today for sentence on a charge of wilfully obstructing a constable at Lyttelton on November 27. TRAFFIC CHARGE Failed to yield right of way: Frank Mitchell, $3O. (Before Mr P. L. Molineauxa S.M.) FINE, PROBATION A youth who ran away when arrested on a charge of using obscene language, on which he was subsequently acquitted, was fined $5O and admitted to 12 months probation on a charge of escaping from lawful custody. Trevor William Tait, aged 19, a drainlayer, was appearing for sentence on the charge of escaping on November 23. For the defendant, Mr R. S. D. Twyneham said he bad an appalling list of minor convictions. Periodic detention bad not been a success and it might be better to extend his term of probation. The defendants’ action in running away bad been stupid as the constable knew his name and address. The Magistrate said the defendant was arrested after an incident at the Papanul roundabout when obscene language was used by a large group of youths. The defendant had been stupid in running away even if he thought he was in the right.