MAGISTRATE’S COURT Escaper sent to gaol for three months

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32660, 16 July 1971, Page 15

MAGISTRATE’S COURT Escaper sent to gaol for three months

A man said to have spent half his life in mental hospitals and to have escaped five times was sentenced to three months imprisonment, to be followed by 12 months probation, when he appeared before Mr H. J. Evans, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Henry Charles Martin, aged! 35, an unemployed cook, was! appearing for sentence on; charges of failing to report to; the Periodic Detention Centre; and escaping from the custody of a mental hospital. He was represnted by Mr K. N. Hampton. Mr Hampton said that neither offence was particularly serious. Martin escaped from the custody of the mental hospital to which he had been remanded for a psychiatric report after being' convicted on a charge of fail-i ing to report to the Periodic I Detention Centre. He was: free for only a short time. His explanation was that he did not like the remand ward at the hospital. Martin was sentenced to the Periodic Detention Centre ! on May 5 and worked well at ( the centre for a month be- ’ fore absconding, Mr Hampton said. The warden was . prepared to persevere with i him and a probation report 1 indicated that Martin needed , considerable assistance and guidance. He had spent half '

his life in mental institutions and tried to get himself admitted to one in Christchurch. He was refused voluntary admission, so he went to Wellington to try to get into a hospital there. He was found in Wellington, semi-conscious, after attempting suicide by taking an overdose of sleeping tablets and had been in custody since. Mr Hampton said that though Martin was not certifiable he still suffered from a considerable personality disorder. It was only since May that he had appeared on serious charges and imprisonment would be unduly harsh upon him. The Magistrate said that Martin had escaped from four mental hospitals bejtween 1961 and 1968. He was sentenced to six months at the Periodic Detention Centre, to be followed by 12 months probation, when he appeared before Mr E. S. J. Crutchley, S.M., on 10 charges in May. After serving one month of his sentence Martin absented himself. There was no excuse for his recent escape from the mental hospital. Martin was not certifiable and his actions had been deliberate. BURGLARY Three men who burgled the Tramway Historical Society’s shop at Ferrymead and took sweets and cigarettes were remanded on bail until July 22 for sentence.

They were Stewart Cameron Turvey, aged 28, a drainlayer (Mr E. T. Higgins); Jeffery Hughes, aged 32, unemployed, ana Gary Francis Bush, aged 30, a truck-driver. AU pleaded guUty to a joint charge of burglary. Sergeant W. J. Nicholl said that after a complaint that three men were acting suspiciously near the society’s shop at 11.S0 p.m. several police patrols converged on the area. Bush was found in a car in which was a quantity of cigarettes and sweets valued at $4O. These had been taken from the shop. Police dogs found Turvey hiding in nearby bushes. Neither he nor Bush could give any explanation for being in the area, apart from saying they were going for a drink. Bush told the police he was asleep in the car and when he woke up he found the sweets and cigarettes inside, so he drove off. Hughes, the owner of the car; was found two hours later asleep in bed. He said that the other two broke into the shop

; and put the goods in his car, and when he was returning to . get more goods from the shop I he saw the police, said Sergeant , Nicholl. Hughes then jumped Into the Heathcote River, swam ’ across and went back home to ■ Hoon Hay. I $llO FINE Michael James Tyro, aged 20, ’ a rigger (Mr J. H. Polson), was ■; fined $llO when he appearead [for sentence on charges of unlawfully interfering with a car 'and breach of a prohibition II order. He was also released on probation for one year, ordered to undergo medical or psychi1 atrlc treatment, and to take out :!a prohibition order. The Magistrate said that Tyro broke off the aerial of a car and removed a mirror. Although . had been drinking on a ship before the offence, Tyro was not an alcoholic. c. ‘S) r a person of 21 you are building up quite an undesirable record,” he said. ‘ Mr Polson said that Tyro had no recollection of the offence. MAN CHARGED AGAIN Barrie William Morrison, aged 25, a driver, was again charged with robbery, .having been dls- ; charged by Justices of the peace on June 2 when the charge was 'originally heard. Morrison had previously pleaded not guilty to robbing Richard Jaek Wells-Jefferies on May 15 of ■ a wallet and cash valued at $BO, and elected trial by juty. The defendant again pleaded not guilty yesterday and elected trial by jury and was remanded on ball until July 28 for the taking of depositions. Sergeant Nicholl said that no reason was given by the justices for discharging the defendant and the police submitted that there was a prima fade case. In such a situation the police could recharge the defendant even when he had been discharged.

PERIODIC DETENTION Walter John Crawford, aged 48, a workman, was sentenced to periodic detention for three months and disqualified from driving for an additional period of six months when he appeared on a charge of driving outside the terms of a limited licence on July 1. He had pleaded guilty and been convicted. The latest period of disqualification takes effect from June 4, 1972. The limited licence enabling the defendant to drive during his employment was cancelled. BURGLAR FINED Trevor John Nicholls, aged 19, an unemployed machine operator, appeared for sentence on a charge of burglary. He was convicted and fined $l5O, ordered to pay restitution of $46.93, and released on probation for two years. The charge arose out of a smash-and-grab raid on Milligan’s Radio, Ltd, in Colombo Street on December 29. Nicholls had admitted his part in the raid, saying he had thrown a concrete block through the window of the shop and another youth had taken radios from it. “You have escaped Borstal by a thread,” the Magistrate said. “The probation officer thinks you have improved slightly recently and I make the comment that, if there is any indication of your settling down in the future, the probation service' may see fit to apply to have! your probation ended.” ASSAULT Stephen Robert Smith, aged 22, a cook (Mr M. J. Glue), pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting David Graham Alan Hooper on May 8. He was convicted and remanded on bail to July 22 for sentence. Correction In the continued hearing on Wednesday of evidence against Bruce Andrew Anderson, aged 23, a wire worker, charged with assault and resisting arrest, and Joseph Arthur Reynolds, aged 21, a spray painter, charged with assault, decision was reserved by Mr H. J. Evans, S.M. The two defendants were not convicted and remanded for sentence as reported yesterday. The error is regretted.