SUPREME COURT Man Guilty Of Burglary Of Post Office Store

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32321, 12 June 1970, Page 5

SUPREME COURT Man Guilty Of Burglary Of Post Office Store

Leonard Francis Gillespie, aged 52, a social security beneficiary, was found guilty by a jury in the Supreme Court yesterday on a charge of burglary of the Post Office store in Galbraith Avenue on or about November 22. Mr Justice Macarthur remanded him on bail to June 19 for sentence. Mr N. W. Williamson appeared for the Crown. Gillespie, who was represented by Mr E. T. Higgins, was charged in. the alternative with receiving from a person or persons unknown copper and steel wire valued at $2745 when he knew it had been dishonestly obtained.

Mr Higgins, in his address to the jury, said that the identification of Gillespie was open to question. Evidence had been given that two other men had borrowed his car and trailer. Gillespie had not gone into the witness box to

give evidence, but it was not for him to prove his innocence. If the jury had any reasonable doubt it was their duty to acquit him. FOR SENTENCE

Richard Lionel Tyson, aged 20, a timber worker, was remanded on bail until today for a medical examination to see if he is fit to be sent to a detention centre when he appeared before Mr Justice Wilson in the Supreme Court yesterday for sentence on a charge of indecent assault on a girl, aged 17. on February 20.

Tyson, who was represented by Mr K. N. Hampton, pleaded guilty to the charge on arraignment. He was also charged in the alternative With attempted rape of the same complainant, hut the jury failed to agree and the Crown has issued a stay of proceedings on this charge. Mr W. S. Smith appeared for the Crown. Mr Hampton said that although Tyson had a considerable number of offences this was the first serious charge he had appeared on. The facts bore him no credit. It was a frightening experience for the girl and Tyson now realised this.

Tyson had been drinking at a hotel and then at a party. He and his companions went looking for girls. The complainant had gone willingly with them to the party but later had asked to be taken home. Instead Tyson took her to the Desert Road, which had been described in the evidence as a “lovers’ lane” and there the offence was committed.

The girl had consented to certain of Tyson’s advances but then had repulsed him, Mr Hampton said. During the three years Tyson had been in Christchurch he had only one job which he had left of his own volition. He had volunteered for national military service and recently he had been living with his sister and was helping financially in the home. He had

shown a good response while on probation. “This offence is too serious to be dealt with by probation or a fine and some restriction of the accused’s liberty is necessary,” said his Honour. “He can be sent to Waikeria Detention Centre or be given periodic detention at Christchurch but he must first be medically examined.”