MAGISTRATE’S COURT Man gaoled two years for burglary

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32562, 23 March 1971, Page 15

MAGISTRATE’S COURT Man gaoled two years for burglary

“You have a very bad criminal record, with numer-' ous convictions for burglary,” said Mr W. F. Brown, S;M., before sentencing Owen Leslie Pugh, aged 48, an unemployed workman (Mr A. Hearn), to imprisonment for two years when he appeared in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday for sentence on two charges of burglary. The Magistrate said that Pugh stole golf clubs and clocks valued at $155 from one house, and a television set and radio valued at $269 from another. He sold the television set and radio at Lyttelton for $46. “You served prison sentences for burglary in 1950, 1954, 1956, 1959, 1968 and 1970,” the Magistrate said. “You also served prison sentences for theft in 1952 and 1953 and were fined $6O for theft in 1966. In August, 1970, you were released from prison and then committed these further offences. “Adult work centre is quite out of the question. If people who are prone to commit burglaries think they might attend work centres there could be a real danger of burglary becoming more prevalent.” Mr Hearn said that Pugh was almost quite prepared to accept his punishment. His mother, however, was suffering from a heart complaint that required constant attention, and in this respect Pugh had done as much as, if not more than, a son could be expected to do. “Who is to blame for your mother’s condition?” asked the Magistrate. “I am,” replied Pugh; "that’s dead right.” EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL Peter Howarth Graham, aged 28, a salesman (Mr P. J. Cordner). was fined 3200 and disqualified for 15 months from April 5 when he pleaded guilty to a charge of having an excessive alcohol concentration at Nelson on February 19. He was also ordered to pay medical expenses of 310.50. Sergeant R. S. Morgan said that Graham was seen travelling at an excessive speed In a low gear in Trafalgar Street, Nelson, at 12.35 a.m. He made a sharp turn and was stopped at a hamburger bar. He admitted drinking four bottles of beer. A test showed 205 milligrams of alcohol to 100 millilitres of blood. “This was a bad case of Its kind,” said the Magistrate. FINES TOTAL 3125 Barry Beasley, aged 27, a sailor (Mr M. J. Glue), appeared for sentence on charges of assault, resisting a constable, and escaping from custody. On the first charge he was fined 360 and ordered to make restitution of 35, on the second he was fined 825

and on the third he was fined $4O. Mr Glue said that Beasley was a boarder In the British Hotel, Lyttelton, at the time of the offence. When he was asked to leave the hotel bar at closing time he felt fully justified to stay and reacted with some annoyance. He was unfortunate to he in this bar, which was the nucleus of trouble in Lyttelton, when a rough crowd was being cleared. Beasley was highly thought of by his employers, and had a good position. He had previous convictions but these were fairly minor matters. DANGEROUS DRIVING “This was very bad driving; it showed a considerable degree of irresponsibility,” the Magistrate said when convicting Stephen Sayer Kerrlson on a charge of driving In a manner which might have been dangerous. Kerrlson, aged 21, a factory worker (Mr -K. N. Hampton), was fined $6O and disqualified from driving for one year. He was ordered to attend a course of driving-improvement lectures. Sergeant Morgan said that an off-duty policeman saw Kerrlson drive a car at an excessive speed round the New Brighton car park about 6 p.m. on January 10. Kerrlson put the car into a tight broadside and almost rolled it over before driving away. Kerrlson returned to the car park about five minutes later and again drove round at a speed of about 25 miles an hour. He carried out a second broadside round some parked cars. Sergeant Morgan said there were a lot of persons including children and family groups, about at the time. Mr Hampton said that Kerrison maintained that his accelerator jammed on both occasions. There was no actual danger to pedestrians or other persons. “You have shown you are not mature enough to hold a licence,” the Magistrate said. DISCHARGED Eskelu Lafaialii. aged 54, a fitter, was discharged without conviction under Section 42 of the Criminal Justice Act upon payment of $5 towards the cost of prosecution when he appeared for sentence on a charge of obtaining credit for $1.29 by fraud on March 13. Mr R. de R. Flesher, for the defendant, said that Lafaialii and two friends went to a hotel where the defendant had been a regular patron for at least three years. When it became LafalalH’s turn to shout he found he had only sc. He asked the barman, who knew him quite well, if he could put the three jugs of beer “on the slate.” The request was refused. The defendant asked to see the proprietor and took the three jugs to his table. Fifteen minutes later the police arrived, asked him to pay and when he could not. arrested him. Recently there had been a change in the, policy of the hotel, which had been taken over by a large brewery chain and now no credit was given. There could be some doubt as to the requisite intention to defraud, the Magistrate said. REMAND IN CUSTODY “Your record shows you have two convictions for driving while disqualified in 1965, one In 1966 and one in 1967,” said the Magistrate before remanding Arthur Murdock Mclver, aged 36, a bushman, in custody until March 29 for sentence when he pleaded guilty to a charge of driving while disqualified and driving under the Influence of drink or drugs. Senior Trafilc Officer J. Drain said that the defendant was seen driving erratically in Bealey Avenue at 4.32 p.m, on March 21. When he was stopped he was staggering and refused to give a breath test At the police station he gave a positive test, but refused to give a blood sample. SURFBOARD THEFT Brian Walter Thomas, aged 19, an unemployed driver, pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing a surfboard worth $BO on January 5. He was convicted and remanded on ball to March 29 for sentence. Sergeant Morgan said that Thomas admitted taking the surfboard because he wanted money to pay a solicitor who had been acting for him. Peter John Bennett, aged 20, a workman, also pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing the surfboard. He was convicted and remanded on bail to March 31 for sentence. Bennett also pleaded guilty to two charges of driving while <UsSualified and was. remanded to re same date for sentence. FIGHTING “Any further offences of this nature will almost certainly mean a term Of Imprisonment,” the Magistrate said when imposing a fine of $4O on Ewan Roderick Percy Dennis, aged 20, a forestry worker, who appeared for sentence on a charge of fighting in Cathedral Square. “You acted very foolishly, because you have previous convictions for assault,” the Magistrate said.

Mr J. G. Atkinson, who appeared for Dennis, said that Dennis felt he was in the right and could not resist the temptation to stand up for himself. OBSCENE LANGUAGE lan Wayne McKay, aged 22, a waterslder, was fined $4O for using obscene language in a bar of the British Hotel on March 20. He pleaded guilty. Peter Noel Raharuhi, aged 18, a labourer, was convicted and fined $4O on a charge of using obscene langue in Seaview Road on March 20. He pleaded guilty; MISCELLANEOUS CASES In miscellaneous police prosecutions convictions were entered and fines imposed as follows, with costs of $5 in each case: Drove carelessly: Rosemary Ann Fear, $3O; Leslie Walter Wehmer, $lO. Opened car door In manner likely to cause injury: Robin Garth Seeker, $l2. Unsafe load: Eddie Graham Batchelor, $5O. Person under 20 found in possession of liquor: Ralph Howard Adams, $9; lan Malcolm Densen, $lO. (Before Mr P. L. Molineaux, S.M.) CARELESS DRIVING David Stewart Boyd, aged 74, retired (Mr P. M. Davies), pleaded not guilty to a charge of careless driving. He was con-

victed and fined $2O, with witnesses’ expenses of $6.50. OTHER TRAFFIC OFFENCES In other Ministry of Transport prosecutions convictions were entered and fines imposed as follows, with costs of $5 in each case:

Exceeded 30 miles an hour: Ivan Herbert Argue, $25; Ben Clemons, $l5; Julie Ann Farrant, $l2; June Merlyn Forbes, $l2; Linda James, $2O; Charles Herbert Kirk, $10; William John Lovell-Smith, $10; Pauline Rutledge, $l5; Mervyn Francis Sloan, $l5; Dan Calrney, $10; David de Brmyn, $10; Lorraine Eleanor Dyer, $10; Leslie John Griffiths, $10; Helen Barbara Johnston, $10; Bruce Edmond Inwood, $2O. Failed to stop at stop sign: Maurice Valdeman Bernstein, $l5; June Merlyn Forbes, $l5; Mark Howarth, $l5; Phillip David Marsh, $3O, disqualified for three months; James McGowan, $25; See-Lin Lee, $10; Rosemary Elsford Seilis, $10; Mark Howarth, $l5; Kiwi Clara Tlmu-Timu, $2O. Insufficient lights: Wade Phillip Smith. $l2; Mark Donald Newman, $4. Failed to comply with traffic signals: Mark Donald Newman, $25. Failed to give way: Peter James Steel, $25, disqualified for six months. (Before Mr E. S. J. Crutchley, S.M.) RECKLESS DRIVING Peter John Corrich, aged 21, a photographer (Mr J. E. Butler), was fined $2OO and disqualified for two years on a charge of reckless driving. He pleaded not guilty. Traffic Officer A. G. Sands said that he chased Corrich, who was driving a motor-cycle with a pillion passenger at 50 miles an hour. Corrich drove part of the way without his lights on and managed to elude him.

OTHER TRAFFIC CASES In other Ministry of Transport prosecutions convictions were entered and fines imposed as follows, with costs of $5 in each case: Exceeded 30 miles an hour: Martha Jane Tuck, $l2; Peter Whitelock, $10; Trevor John Ward, $l5; Michael John Reeves, $10; Peter Richard Hart, $10; Alan Victor Jones, $10; Ross Moana Blakely, $2O; Harold James Thomas, $2O; Ramon Nigel Anderson, $25; Paul Brian Kelly, SO; Gordon Thomas Moss. $8; oyd William Habgood, $10; Errol Peter Stokes, $5; Ronald John Simons, $10; Geoffrey Mlles Turner, $10; Yakou Ushiukoff, $10: Dawn Margaret Simmons, $25; Nicholas Carl Price, $10; John Tatlley Alexander Gordon, $l2; John Hames Simpson, $10; William Henry Reeves, $10; Heather Margaret Bw«t $10; Kenneth Edwin Hynds, $10; David Reginald PhUlipson, $10; Andrew Watson. $25; Kevin Raymond Amos. $25; Arnold Keith Caffin, $10: Thomas Gough, §5; Lloyd William Habgood, $10; Edward Bruce Kay, $10; Robert lan McNichol, $10; Garry William Passmore. $5, disqualified for two months; Joan Smith, $9; Palele Teonea, $l5; lan Trevor Thompson, $10; Alice Patricia Upton, $10; Ann Marie Gough, $25: Warren Wild, $lO. Careless use: David John Wilson, $75, disqualified for one year; Maurice Kennedy, $l5. Gavin Patrick Cox, $75, disqualified for nine months; Dennis George Hlllmer, $7O, disqualified for six months; Hugh William McGregor, $3O. Failed to stop at stop sign. Marcella Mayail McAloon, $l7; Robinson, $6; Lewis Leonard Bell, $5; Alfred Gordon Brown, $l5; Stanley Edgar Grimson, $l5; Anne Agnes Hyde, $l5. Failed to comply with signs. John Keller. $2O; Leonard Bruce Martin, $25; Arthur John O’Leary, $10; Percival Edward Sadler, $25; Charles Nelson Schultz. $25. Failed to give way to right. Margaret Mary Dennison, $2O. Exceeded 40 miles an hour: Henrietta Roberta SaviU, $lO, Helen Marjorie Ancall, $3O. Failed to comply with traffic lights: Ross Moana Blakely, $2O, disqualified for two months; Barry Alexander Edens, $25, disqualified for six weeks. Drove while disqualified: Donald Anthony KenneaUy, $2OO, disqualified for one year. Failed to keep to left: NeU Murray Hesson, $l5, disqualified for six weeks.