MAGISTRATE'S COURT Former county clerk admits 17 charges of false accounting

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32430, 17 October 1970, Page 5

MAGISTRATE'S COURT Former county clerk admits 17 charges of false accounting

A former county clerk who made false accounting entries in his employer’s books, and as a result obtained more than $BOOO, was convicted and remanded on bail to October 23 for sentence when he appeared before Mr W. F. Brown, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Thomas Edward Moore, aged 57, a process worker (Mr M. J. Glue), pleaded guilty to 17 charges that, being a servant of the Inangahua County Council, he made false entries in books of account. Senior-Sergeant F. G. Mulcare said Moore had been county clerk for the Inangahua County Council for 12 years before his dismissal in February* this year. Part of his duties concerned dealing with inward mail and authorising and issuing cheques. The Government Audit Department carried out an audit and a discrepancy in the council’s funds was found. An investigation was made by the Greymouth C. 1.8. and it was found that a number of invoices and about 200 cheques were missing from the files since the previous year’s audit. Because the documents were missing extensive inquiries had to be made all over New Zealand to see if cheques made out to various organisations had reached their destinations. It was found that 17 cheques worth $8360 had been issued and in nearly every instance cashed over the counter at the bank on the day of issue. The cheques were made out to nine different Reefton firms for work done or goods supplied, and to organisations in receipt of grants. Since his dismissal Moore had lived in Christchurch. The reason for falsifying the records was not known to the police, said Senior-Ser-geant Mulcare. Restitution of $8360 was sought ROBBERY CHARGE Wayne David Ben, aged 25, a barman, charged with robbing, with an unknown person, Phillip Ronald Henley Brown of 520.626.46, the property of Aulsebrook and Company, Ltd, on December 24, was remanded to November 3 for the taking of depositions at the request of his counsel, Mr M. G. L. Loughnan. Bail of $5OO with one surety of $5OO was allowed. He was ordered to report daily to the police. ESCAPED FROM PRISON Two men who escaped from Papania Prison last week and caused a full-scale police search to be made for them pleaded guilty to charges arising from < the escape and were convicted • and remanded to October 23 for sentence. Douglas Charles Hamilton, aged 22, and Dick Hakopa, aged 19, pleaded guilty to charges of escaping, stealing nine gallons of petrol, and unlawfully taking a car. Hamilton also pieaded guilty to assaulting Kevin Keith Jones with intent to injure, and Hakopa pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr Jones. The two defendants were members of a work party on the prison farm and in charge of Prison Officer Jones on October 9. said Senior-Sergeant Mulcare. About 10.15 a.m., Hamilton “king hit” Mr Jones, then picked up a long-handled broom and struck Mr Jones several times around the head and body. Other prisoners stopped the assault by Hamilton and he and Hakopa, who struck Mr Jones one blow, made off. On the road they attempted to stop a car but another prison officer in a truck drove between the defendants and the car. After a short struggle the defendants ran into the property of Mrs Lome Merle Little and drove off at speed in her 1956 Jaguar car. At 6.15 p.m. the car was seen by a farmer at the southern end of Lake Elies-

mere. Police dogs were used to find the defendants. Hamilton told the police that he was tired of Mr Jones picking on him and was going to “do” him over if the other inmates had not taken the broom from him. Hakopa could give no explanation for escaping. As a result of the assault Mr Jones suffered injuries to his head, eyes and an arm. He required six stitches in his lip and had concussion. Hamilton is serving a term of 18 months imprisonment for burglary and theft, and Hakopa is serving a term of two years three months for taking cars and injuring with intent. MOTHER GAOLED A woman who got her children to steal for her was sentenced to three months imprisonment when she appeared for sentence on five charges of being party to theft and one of receiving. It was a distasteful and difficult duty to have to sentence a mother to imprisonment but there was no alternative, said the Magistrate. The woman’s name was not suppressed but the names of her children were when they appeared and were dealt with in the Children’s Court. NINE MONTHS GAOL Robert James McMahon, aged 27, unemployed, was sentenced to imprisonment for nine months when he appeared for sentence on two charges of burglary. He was placed on probation for one year from the expiration of his prison sentence and ordered to pay restitution of $126.23. The defendant had previously been convicted on the charge of burglary of the Scout Shop on October 1 when camping goods worth $205 were taken. The other charge on which he was convicted related to the breaking and entering of Taylor and Waters, Ltd, and the taking of a bottle of sherry on October 5. The Magistrate said the defendant had a bad list of previous convictions including two for burglary on which he received prison sentences of four months and nine months. He said the probation officer seemed optimistic about the defendant’s future and urged the Court to send him to the adult work centre. “I think it would be quite unrealistic to order detention for a person appearing on two charge of burglary when he has twice previously been convicted of burglary,” the Magistrate said. SIX MONTHS GAOL James John Johns, aged 46, unemployed (Mr J. E. Butler), was sentenced to imprisonment for six months on eight charges of false pretences. He was placed on probation for one year from the date of his release, and ordered to pay restitution of $l2O. Mr Butler said Johns had an extremely bad criminal record. Johns claimed the latest offences were committed while he was under the influence of alcohoL It was dear he was a chronic alcoholic, and he had been in severe ill-health for a long period. CULTIVATED CANNABIS A young man, who appeared for sentence on a charge of cultivating cannabis on October 8, had not realised the seriousness of what he was doing his counsel (Mr A. P. C. Tipping), told the Court. The defendant, Murray Kent Allen, aged 19, a driver, was convicted and fined $lOO and

placed on probation for one year. Mr Tipping said the defendant had co-operated with the police and there was no element of corruption of other persons. ILLEGAL BROADCAST Charged with operating an illegal broadcasting station on April 5, Barrie William Morrison, aged 24, a foreman (Mr M. F. Boyce), was convicted and remanded on bail to October 23 for sentence. He pleaded guilty. Mr J. L. Woodward, for the Post Office, said that at 1.45 a.m. on April 5 an Inspector heard a broadcast from a station which called itself Radio Pegasus and Invited listeners to send in requests. The source of the broadcast was traced to a Sat at 1 Winchester Street and by following a wire running from an aerial into a window. a radio transmitter was found. Morrison was found hiding under a bed and when a constable asked him what was he doing there he said "hiding from you. He admitted being the disc jockey and announcer. No warrant for the station had been issued. PROBATION "Your case has given me a lot of concern and the probation officer’s report shows you are a severely handicapped person mentally,” said the Magistrate before sentencing Darryl Kenneth Williams, aged 17, a slaughterman (Mr J. E. Butler), to two yean probation on two charges of theft, and one of resisting arrest. On a further charge of unlawfully taking a motor-cycle, the defendant was disqualified from driving for two Sears. An order for *lO restituon was also made. Mr Butler said that his client had followed his pattern of life because he was unable to make a living and had committed the offences while on probation. “You are unsuited for periodic detention or detention centre and it is not in the public interest or in the interest of yourself to send you to Borstal,” said the Magistrate. PERIODIC DETENTION George Ronald Collier, aged 21, unemployed, was sentenced to periodic detention for nine months and placed on probation for one year on charges of burglary of Robins Car Parts, Ltd, on October 6, and burglary of Shepherd and Kime, Ltd, on the same date. The defendant had previously been convicted on the charges of burglary of the adjacent premises In Palsgrave Street. He was represented by Mr E. T. Higgins. The Magistrate said the defendant had a bad criminal list. "My first inclination Is to sentence you to a fairly lengthy term of imprisonment. "You have been in some form of custody for about five years and a half since leaving school. You just haven’t learnt to get along in the community.” UNLAWFULLY IN SHIP Marie Dawn Coliis. aged 32, a housemaid, was placed on probation for one year when she was sentenced on a charge of being found unlawfully in the Ceramic at Lyttelton on October 9. She was ordered to live and work as and where directed by the probation officer, and to undergo medical and psychiatric treatment. THEFT FROM HOUSE On a charge of stealing a radio and other goods from a house in Jerrold Street, on or about August 10, Thomas Sydney

Brown, aged 49, unemployed, was placed on probation for 18 months and ordered to pay restitution of *23. “I am going to give you a chance you probably don’t deserve but have never really had,” the Magistrate said. FOUND IN SHIP Sonia Anita Rean, aged 19, a hospital worker, was placed on probation for one year when she was sentenced on charges of being found unlawfully In the Ceramic at Lyttelton on October 11, and being idle and disorderly at Lyttelton on October 7. She was ordered as a special condition of probation, to live and work as and where directed by the probation officer. STOLE BICYCLE Rakuera Rlwhi Kupenga, aged 18, an unemployed freezing worker (Mr R. F. Powell), charged with stealing a bicycle worth *3O from Audrey Ellen Smith, on August 30, was convicted and placed on probation for two years. He pleaded guilty. FOUND IN YARD A fine of *4O was Imposed on Tasl Maness, aged 23, a metal polisher (Mr K. N. Hampton), when he pieaded guilty to a charge of being found unlawfully in an enclosed yard at 95 Huxley Street on October 9. Mr Hampton said Manesa had arrived in New Zealand from Western Samoa about six months ago. His understanding of English was very limited. On the night concerned he was intoxicated and had got lost trying to find the house of friends. STOLE SUITS Stephen Michael Postiethwaite, aged 19, a packer (Mr B. A. Hunt), charged with stealing three suite from Silknit, Ltd, on September 1, was convicted and remanded on bail to October 23 for sentence. He pleaded guilty. Senior-Sergeant Mulcare said the police received information about a quantity of stolen property at a city address. Three women’s suits were found and the occupier of the house said she had been given them by the defendant. (Before Mr J. D. Kinder, S.M.) STOLE CAR A stolen cream and gold mini car that had been repainted red and had its number plate changed, was brought to the rear of the Magistrate’s Court as an exhibit when George Vincent Edwards, aged 38, an unemployed machine setter (Mr D. M. Palmer), appeared on a charge of theft. The defendant, who pleaded not guilty, was convicted and remanded on ball until November 3 for a probation officers report and sentence. Mr W. F. Jones, of Lower Hutt, gave evidence that the number plates of his car had been taken before he sold it as a wreck. The owner of the stolen mini car, Mrs J. V. Lee, said she parked her locked vehicle in Cashmere outside her house on September 9 and on the following morning it had gone. The defendant was apprehended by Detective Constable D. J. Cartwright, In Lincoln Road, having been followed from Domain Terrace. He gave a false name and said he had owned the car for 18 months. It was bought in Wellington he said, but he could not remember from whom he bought it. The defendant said that the ownership papers were in a bach at 96 Champion Street, but they could not be found there, said Detective Constable Cartwright. Counsel said there were no signs of the car having been repainted at Ms clients house. His client did not dispute the car was stolen or that he was tn it The defendant said he met two men in Warners Hotel and was later taken home in a Zephyr car. On Saturday afternoon he again met the men and they drove to New Brighton in the mini car. They later went to the Black Horae Hotel and as one of the men was “under the weather,” and disqualified from driving, the defendant offered to drive. The defendant said he gave a false name because if the police knew he was in Christchurch he would go to gaol for non-pay-ment of fines. “I am satisfied that It Is just a cock and bull story,” said the Magistrate before remanding the defendant DISMISSED A charge of applying for a driving licence while disqualified, against Daniel Martin Pryce, aged 17, a timber worker (Mr D. M. Palmer), was dismissed. On a further charge of driving whilst disqualified, the defendant was convicted and ordered to pay Court costs only. He pleaded not guilty to both charges.