MAGISTRATE’S COURT Police set trap after boarding house thefts

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32666, 23 July 1971, Page 8

MAGISTRATE’S COURT Police set trap after boarding house thefts

Because a series of thefts from rooms had been committed in the Oxford Boarding House in Lyttelton a $2 note, treated with anthracene powder which glows under an ultra-violet light, was left on a dressing table, Mr W. F. Brown, S.M., was told in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. James Lewis Olds, aged 51, a welder, pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing $2, the property of Eleanor Catherine English, on June 26. Olds was remanded on bail to July 29 for sentence.

Sergeant W. J. Nicholl said that on June 26 the owner of the boarding house, Eleanor English, found that the treated note was missing and the Lyttelton police were informed. The next morning seven boarders who were in the house for the week-end were checked with an ultra-violet light in a darkened room for traces of the anthracene powder. The powder was found on the edge of Olds’s rear trouser pocket where he kept his money. The Government Analyst confirmd that the material found on Olds’s trousers was similar to that placed on the $2 note which was stolen. Olds was on probation at the time.

When interviewed by the police Olds denied taking the $2 and said that the previous evening he had been drinking at the Empire Hotel in Lyttelton until closing time. He must have received the $2 in change and then spent it again. Olds said that he bad changed a $5 note at the hotel. The treated $2 note was found amongst the cigarette money at the hotel. Members of the hotel staff could not remember Olds cashing a $5 note, Sergeant Nichol! said.

BURGLARY Radio and electrical equipment worth $278.47 was stolen and damage amounting to $225.47 was caused to other stock when the warehouse of H. W. Clark. Ltd, Cashel Street, was broken Into on the night of July 1, said Sergeant Nicholl. Brian Lloyd Hanham, aged 21, unemployed, pleaded guilty to a charge of burgling the warehouse. He was convicted and remanded in custody to July 29 for sentence. Sergeant Nicholl said a stereogram, record player and transistor radios were taken from the warehouse. Some of the items were later recovered from second-hand dealers. When interviewed on July 20, Hanham eventually admitted being responsible for the burglary but denied taking some of the articles or damaging stock. Hanham said he broke Into the warehouse about midnight. He took some articles with him and later returned with a bicycle and took the stereogram. Sergeant Nicholl said the police sought restitution of $69.30 for goods not recovered, $225.47 for damage to stock, and $4O for compensation to second-hand dealers.

REMANDED Three men who had previously pleaded guilty to a charge of burgling the Tramway Historical Society shop at Ferrymead on July 7 wefe again remanded for sentence. They are Stewart Cameron Turvey, aged 28, a drainlayer (Mr E. T. Higgins); Jeffery Hughes, aged 32, unemployed (Mr J. D. Atkinson), and Gary Francis Bush, aged 30, a truck driver (Mr Higgins). Turvey was remanded on ball until August 6, pending the outcome of his appearance in the Supreme Court on another charge. Mr Atkinson said the fact that he had been drinking solidly for most of the day had a lot to do with what happened. The Magistrate said he was satisfied Hughes was a party to the offence. There was. however, possibly a psychiatric background to the case.

Hughes was remanded In custody until July 30 for a psychiatric examination.

On behalf of Bush, Mr Higgins said liquor was an Important element in the offence. The burglary was done with a considerable blundering and lack of caution.

Bush was remanded on ball to July 30. He was ordered to undergo a medical examination with a view to a sentence of periodic detention. FALSE.PRETENCES

Paul Robert Boby, aged 29, a signwriter (Mr P. N. Duncan), was remanded on bail until July 29' when he pleaded guilty to four charges of false pretences between March 18 and April 16. Sergeant Nicholl said Boby opened a cheque account on December 29 and received a cheque book with 60 cheques. The account was overdrawn and complaints were made by three butchers and a dairy that cheques given to them by Boby were dishonoured.

Boby went into the shops and bought goods and meat, tendering cheques and receiving change, said Sergeant Nicholl. Questioned, Boby admitted the charges and said he intended to pay for the goods later when he had put some money into his account. Three dollars had already been paid by his wife. Reenie Ngarine Thompson, aged 18, unemployed (Mr P. G. Benseman). wag remanded on bail until July 29 when she pleaded guilty to three charges of theft between April 9 and April 16. She was convicted on two of the charges, but on the third charge decision was reserved.

Sergeant Nicholl said Thompson took $l2 from a purse in the kichen of a property she was living in. A party was in progress so the defendant hid the money under a mattress and later recovered it to pay for a taxi and a meal. Thompson said she took the money so It would not be stolen.

On July 15 the defendant saw a rent book in the kitchen of the same property and took $l2 from inside the book. She threw the book on the fire and bought groceries with some of the money. The groceries and $6 change were then given to the complainant. The third theft involved the sum of $lO.

Thompson gave herself up to the police on July 21. The offences had not been reported by the complainants. Suppression of name was refused. FINED $6O “If you offend again with assaults. you will go to prison,” the Magistrate told Stephen Robert Smith, aged 22. a cook (Mr M. J. Glue), when he appeared for sentence on a charge of assault. Smith was fined $6O and ordered to pay witnesses expenses of $l3. Mr Glue said there was considerable provocation after a squabble at a party as the complainant was not a welcome guest. Two head injuries suffered by the defendant in the past seemed to be the root of his trouble.

The Magistrate said Smith had a bad record. CHANGE OF PLEA After the taking of depositions before Justices of the Peace, Mr J. L. Ives and Mr J. C. Cottrell, Solomon Horomona Tau, aged 23, a labourer (Mr M. J. Glue), changed his election and pleaded guilty to a charge of Interfering with a motor car, valued at $3OO, the property of Donald Thomas Sawyers. Tau was convicted and remanded to July 30 for a probation officers report and sentence. THEFT OF RADIO On a charge of stealing a car radio worth $6O on July 13, Watene Tawa Waikari, aged 22, a welder, was convicted and remanded on bail to July 29 for sentence. He pleaded guilty. DROVE WHILE DISQUALIFIED On charges of driving while disqualified on May 18 and May 19. Jeffrey Wayne Berg, aged 20, a painter, was convicted and remanded on bail to July 29 for sentence. He pleaded guilty to both charges. TOOK CAR On a charge of unlawfully taking a car worth $lOOO at Nelson on June 26. William James Willis, aged 20. a mechanic (Mr G. R. Lascelles), was convicted and remanded in custody to July 29 for sentence. He pleaded guilts’. (Before Mr H. J. Evans, S.M.) DECISION RESERVED

Decision was reserved and Maurice Charles Moore, a driver,

aged 31 (Mr J. E. Ryan), was remanded on bail to July 26 on three charges which arose from an incident to which the police were called outside the Gladstone Hotel on June 5.

Moore pleaded not guilty to charges of obstruction, assaulting a constable in the execution of duty, and escaping from lawful custody. Constable L. L. Leathern said a group of five or six was standing on the road, moving reluctantly to the footpath as he parked the police car. The defendant had complained about the way the car had been parked, and was told that if he did not move he would be arrested for obstruction.

The defendant continued to argue, standing in the footpath with his arms around a parcel of bottled beer, said the constable. He deemed this was causing obstruction and told Moore that he was under arrest. He took the defendant’s elbow and steered him gently to the car.

The defendant then slammed the door shut, dropped his parcel, and struck the constable in the face, knocking him to the ground. Moore ran off and later was found hiding behind a.house in Salisbury Street. Moore said he had been waiting for a friend when the constable approached and said that unless he moved, he would be arrested for obstruction. “He was pushing me a bit so I pushed him back a bit to break free; I had no intention of hurting him. I just turned round and took off.” FINED $lOO CoUn William Shaw, a welder, aged 19 (Mr M. J. Glue), was fined $lOO and disqualified from driving for six months on a charge of dangerous driving in Papanui Road on January 31. He was fined $l5 on a second charge of failing to stop at a stop sign at Papanui on May 4. Shaw, who pleaded guilty, had overtaken several cars at the intersection of Papanui Road and Bealey Avenue, because they had been “just crawling” along, said Senior-Sergeant W. J. Prentiss. But he had collided with a car in the Une making a righthand turn and there had been serious injuries to passengers.

(Before Mr M. C. Astley, S.M.) DISQUALIFIED DRIVER Peter John Heyder, aged 29, a storeman, was convicted and remanded in custody to July 28 for a probation officer’s report and sentence on four charges relating to driving while disqualified in Deans Avenue and Blenheim Road on July 21. He pleaded guilty to charges of driving while disquaUfied, failing to supply a blood sample to the traffic officer and doctor and driving under the influence of drink or drugs. At 3.25 p.m., Traffic Officer R. Regan noticed the defendant in Deans Avenue when he overtook two cars on the wrong side of the road. Turning into Blenheim Road on the overhead bridge, Heyder reached a speed of 48-50 miles an hour and passed four cars. He was stopped by the officer at Clarence Road and admitted having consumed four to five jugs of beer. . . f The Magistrate refused bail because he said the defendant had been convicted, of this offence four times. The defendant is a disqualified driver until 1983.

(Before Mr J. D. Kinder, S.M.) DECISION RESERVED Decision was reserved until August 17 In respect of a prosecution for driving with an excessive blood-alchohol concentration brought against John Charles Monck. The Magistrate said he reserved his decision pending a decision in the Supreme Court on a similar charge. Monck, aged 31, a purchasing officer (Mr C. B. pleaded not guilty on charges of driving with an excessive alcohol concentration and inconsiderate driving. The charge of inconsiderate driving was dismissed as a prima facie case had not been established, the Magistrate said. The defendant’s blood-alcohol concentration was found to be 168 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, he said.