MAGISTRATE’S COURT Three Years Probation For Selling Poisons

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32274, 17 April 1970, Page 9

MAGISTRATE’S COURT Three Years Probation For Selling Poisons

“The shock of seven days in prison had better be a permanent one,’* Mr K. H. J. Headifen, S.M., said when imposing a sentence of three years probation in the Magistrate’s, Court yesterday on David Rupert Lawrence Pope, aged 19, a fireman (Mr A. P. C. Tipping). The defendant appeared for sentence on four charges of selling prescription poisons between December and March.

Mr Tipping said the defendant had already spent a week in custody on remand. “He hopes he will never see the inside of a prison again.”

Mr Tipping said there was no suggestion that the defendant received money for the drugs. He supplied them on each occasion only when he was asked to do so and in limited quantity from his mother’s prescriptions. The Magistrate said that had it not been for the defendant’s stupidity the prescription poisons would not have been made available to other persons so readily. FOUND ON SHIP Four young women appeared on charges arising from their being found on board vessels tn Lyttelton by the police on April 15. Plea® of guilty were entered on all charges. Barbara Ann Taylor, aged 19. an unemployed receptionist, and Virginia Hadfield, aged 17. an unemployed factory hand, were each convicted and placed on probation for 18 months on charges of being idle and disorderly and being found without lawful excuse on board the m.v. Illyric. Carolyn Jean Tomkinson, aged 19, an unemployed shop assistant, was convicted and placed on probation for 18 months on a charge of being found on board the m.v. Hauraki without lawful excuse.

A special condition of probation in each case is that the defendants live and work where directed by the probation officer, and that they do not associate with persons not approved of by the probation officer.

Sandra Mary Milne, aged 21 a factory hand, was convicted and fined $6O on a charge of being found without lawful excuse on board the m.v. Illyric.

“This is not your first offence by any means.’’ the Magistrate said.

Sergeant J. D. Burrell said the Lyttelton police boarded the vessels as a result of a com plaint from their masters. The defendants were found in the cabins of crew members. SIX MONTHS GAOL "I don’t take the view that the Court enforces rules for you to flout, and I intend to impose the maximum sentence,” said the Magistrate when sentencing Gavin Edgar William Kinsman, aged 41, a cafe manager (Mr K N. Hampton), to six months imprisonment on a charge of driving while disqualified. Kinsman was also disqualified from driving for one year, from October 28. 1971, to October 28, 1972, the term to follow his present disqualification period. Mr Hampton said that Kinsman had driven the van because his employer, who' normally drove the vehicle to buy items for the restaurant, was too intoxicated to drive. The goods were needed f.or the busy lunch period. , BORSTAL “The reports obtained on you do not encourage the Court to leave you in the community My first duty is to protect the public,” said the Magistrate when sentencing Martin Paul Robson, aged 20, a storeman, to Borstal training on two charges of assaulting women and one charge of indecently assaulting a woman.

For Robson, Mr G. R. Lascelles said it was a clear case of a person needing medical attention. He had some ability and was a good worker but suffered from a personality problem. the Magistrate said Robson had served a period of Borstal training last year for a very nasty offence and- he should then have obtained medical advice and help. He was not prepared to treat Robson solely as a medical case on this occasion.

STOLE FROM CAR James Tawa, aged 33, a lab-

outer, charged with stealing a radio, tools, a torch, a coat and cash from Allan James Will® at Waikaka on January 8 last year, was convicted and remanded on bail to April 23 for sentence. He pleaded guilty. The property, worth $69, was stolen from Mr Wills’s car after it had been towed by Tawa to a garage after an accident, said Sergeant Burrell. Tawa was interviewed about the matter in October last year and admitted that he had towed Mr Wills’s car to a garage but denied stealing anything. On February 3 he was again interviewed and this time he admitted the theft. He said Mr Wills had given him $2 for his time and trouble and he felt this was not enough so he went back to the garage in the evening and stole the property. Some was sold in hotels and the rest was thrown away. IMPERSONATED POLICE “You can trust me. I’m a cop from Auckland.” This, said Myra Margaret Susan Henry, a police sergeant’s widow, aged 80, was what she was told six times by the defendant who wanted to borrow money from her.' The defendant Samuel Michael Price, aged 28, a barman (Mr L. M. O’Reilly), pleaded not guilty to charges of impersonating the police and stealing a cheque for $58.50 from Mrs Henry on April 4. On the impersonation charge Price was convicted and fined $3O and ordered to pay witnesses’ expenses of $9.75. On the theft charge he was convicted and discharged. The Magistrate rejected Price’s evidence and agreed with Mr O’Reilly’s final submission after convictions had been entered that the offences were “foolish acts by a man affected by liquor.”

EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL John McLean Murray, aged 50, a retired airman (Mr J. G. Leggat), charged with driving with an excessive amount of alcohol in his blood, was fined $lOO and disqualified from driving for three years. He pleaded guilty. Sergeant Burrell said that a blood test showed 280 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milblitres of blood.

Brian Taylor, aged 28, a labourer (Mr L. M. O’Reilly), was fined $BO and disqualified from driving for 18 month® on a charge of driving with an excessive amount of alcohol in his blood. He pleaded guilty. A blood test showed 195 milligrams of alcohol, said Sergeant Burrell.

Russell William Innes, aged 20, a sawyer (Mr D. M. Palmer), was fined $lOO and disqualified from driving for three years on a charge of driving with an excessive amount of alcohol in his blood. On a charge of exceeding 30 miles an hour he was convicted and discharged. He pleaded guilty. Sergeant Burrell said that a blood test showed 235 milligrams of alcohol. POSSESSED POISONS Mark Andrew Dailey, aged 21, a workman (Mr M. J. Glue), was convicted and ordered to appear for sentence within one year if called on on a charge of possessing a prescription poison on March 20. He pleaded guilty. Dailey had been given the pills, which he thought were methedrene but on analysis were found to be female hormone tablets, said Sergeant Burrell. Dailey had not taken any of them.

Mr Glue said there was no suggestion that Dailey was ad dieted to drugs. He had been frank and co-operative with the Eolice. He was highly regarded y his employers. FIGHTING Michael John Begley, aged 21, a deck hand, was convicted and fined $2O when he pleaded guilty to a charge of fighting in Nor wlch Quay, Lyttelton, on April 15. Sergeant Burrell said an argument developed between

the defendant and another seaman iir a hotel bar and ended in a fight outside.

On a charge of fighting in the foyer of the Bush Inn Court Hotel on April 15, Tony John Payne, aged 21, a boat builder, was convicted and fined $2O. He pleaded guilty. COMMITTED TO HOSPITAL Appearing for sentence on charges of threatening to kill Nancy Rona Craw ana assaulting her on March 5, Kevin John Dowling, aged 24, a:i unem ployed factory hand (Mr K. N. Hampton), was committed to a. mental hospital. The Magistrate said two doctors had reported that Dowling was certifiable. He refused an application for suppression of name, saying that such a committal, which was done instead of imposing sentence, should be done publicly wfth no suppression of name or any facts? OBSTRUCTED POLICE On a charge of wilfully obstructing Constable I. F. Crew on April 15, Bryan Reid, aged 20, a factory worker, was convicted and fined $5O. He pleaded guilty,. Sergeant Burrell said the Eolice were called to a dlsturance in the Bush Inn Court car park about 10.25 p.m. The de fendant was one of a group asked to move away. The defendant moved a short distance and began teasing a police'dog with outstretched arm. The dog lunged forward and bit him on the arm. RECEIVING * Genrgc Elias Van Der Veen, aged 19, an apprentice coach builder, was convicted and remanded On ball to April 23 for sentence on a charge of receiving from John William Goldie between February 15 and April 14 a tape recorder valued at $56 knowing it had been dishonestly obtained. He pleaded guilty. Sergeant Burrell said the defendant admitted knowing the tape recorder bad been obtained from a burglary. INDECENT ACTS

Two men, whose names were suppressed (Mr G. R. Lascelles and Mr A. P. C. Tipping), were each fined $lOO and placed on probation for two years when they appeared for sentence on a charge of permitting a male

person to perform an indecent act on them. The Magistrate directed that the defendants undergo medical or psychiatric treatment as suggested by the probation officer.

' TRAFFIC CASES In traffic cases brought by the police, convictions were entered and fines imposed as follows, with costs of $5 in each case:—

Failed to give way: Ruby Lavlnla Gladys Bruce, $l5 (no warrant of fitness, $4); Hazel Jean Law, $l5, Kevin John Forbes. $3O Careless use-. Neilson Patrick Keenan, $l5. (Before Mr P. L. Molineaux, S.M.) TRAFFIC CHARGES In traffic charges brought by the Ministry of Transport, conviction® were entered and fines Imposed, with Court costs $5 in each case, as follows: Drove while disqualified: Wayne Eder, $75, disqualified from driving for one year. Failed to give way to right; Gary Edward Cross $2O and witness’s expenses $3 25. Overtook on no-passing linesMurray Ronald Ward $2O.

Failed to signal intention to pul) out from kerb: Francis John Foster, $l2 and witness’ expenses $3.25. Exceeded 40 m.p.h. in heavy motor vehicle: Noel Richard Pragnell, $6.

CHARGE OF ROBBERY Edward Mob I Hurla. aged 17, a labourer, and Reuben Lowe, aged 24, a meta) polisher were remanded in custody until April 23 when they appeared in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday on a charge of robbing Jeanette Rose Miriam Hoare of MOT on April 15 No: plea was taken'.

Golf , Winner.—The Russell Grace golf representative. Mrs J.-Urbahn (New Plymouth), won the Taranaki women’s 54-hole stroke-play championship at New Plymouth on Wednesday by four strokes, with rounds of 88. It. and 84.