MAGISTRATE’S COURT Bank clerk gained $795 from five forgeries

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32701, 2 September 1971, Page 9

MAGISTRATE’S COURT Bank clerk gained $795 from five forgeries

A Post Office Savings Bank clerk forged withdrawal slips for little-used accounts, and then destroyed or altered a series of records to conceal the offences, Mr P. L. Molineaux, S.M., was told in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Before him was Alan Grant Oxenham, aged 18, who told the police he needed the money because his girl-friend would have broken off their relationship unless he bought a good car. Oxenham (Mr W. C. C. Janus) pleaded guilty to five charges of forgery involving $795. He was convicted and remanded on bail to September 8 for sentence.

Senior-Sergeant F. G. Mulcare said that a ledger balance carried out in July showed a $6O deficit in the total balance for accounts which had not been acted on for 12 months. The deficit was traced to one account and it was then found that the record of the account was missing.

The account holder was asked to supply her pass-book so that. a new ledger card could be made out. This was done, but when the pass-book was returned the account holder complained that an unauthorised withdrawal had been entered. Oxenham went to the manager of the savings bank and confessed as soon as he knew that investigations were under way. He said he had made out the withdrawal slips over a period of a month and had put the transactions through the cash workings of off-duty tellers. He had destroyed the missing ledger card and altered others in the hope that the offences would not be discovered.

“As the defendant is only 18 and made a voluntary confession, I can say now that I will not be sending him to prison or any other form of detention,” the Magistrate said. THREE MONTHS GAOL “These offences occurred only three weeks after he was released from prison,” the Magistrate said before he sentenced Waites William James Beech, aged SB, a coal miner, to three months Imprisonment. Beech (Mr R. F. B. Perry) appeared for sentence on charges of theft of a radio valued at 516.25 and unlawfuUy getting into a car valued at $3OOO.

The Magistrate said that Beech had a record of burglary, fraud, and theft. Beech was seen in a car park rummaging the glove compartment of a car. He waa followed to another car park, where he was seen sitting in a car holding a radio. Mr Perry submitted that Beech should be given leniency, the sentence imposed falling short of imprisonment. The offences were committed in broad davlight while Beech was under the influence of alcohol and detection was Inevitable.

JOINT BURGLARY Three men who broke into a Caahel Street house with the intention of smashing it up with an axe pleaded guilty to a charge of burglary. They were Howard Alder Common, aged IT, an apprentice (Mr W. S. Smith), Jon Philip White aged IT, an apprentice, and Albert Eric Lye. aged M. unemployed. . They were convicted and remanded in custody to September S tor sentence . Mulcare said that the defendants and a fourth r -son were drinking in a hotel when they decided to smash '*l interior of a house in Cashel Street; rented by youths they knew. They entered the house with an axe about 1045 pm. on

August 31, smashed fittings, doors, windows, and a telephone, and scattered broken glass about. They left hurriedly when the occupants returned. The damage was estimated at $BO. THEFT OF $7O

Charged with theft, Patricia Dawn Smylie, .aged 20, a housekeeper, pleaded guilty and was convicted and placed on probation tor a year. Sergeant W. J. NichoU said that the defendant, a friend of the complainant, went to the complainant’s home on August 1 and asked if she could use the telephone. While the complainant waa outside the defendant entered a bedroom and took a purse containing STO. When interviewed by the police the defendant aaid that she had domestic problems and waa going to use the money to travel to the North Island with her girl friend. She gave the money to her friend, who had not been seen since, Sergeant NichoU aaid. The Magistrate ordered the defendant to work and live where directed by the probation officer, and to pay restitution of 870. OFFENCE WITH GIRL On a charge of having unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl aged 15 on July 30 a youth, whoae name was suppressed, was convicted and releaaed on probation for one year and ordered not to associate with any person not approved of by the probation officer. Senior-Sergeant Mulcare said that the girl’s parents became anxious about her association with the defendant and she was found to be three months pregnant. Mr D. H. Godfrey appeared tor the defendant. PROBATION AND FINE Anthony John Fletcher, aged 24, unemployed (Mr D. M. Palmer), was placed on probation for 18 months and fined $BO when he was sentenced on charges of stealing a vacuum cleaner worth $lO op August 23 and an electric heater and two lamps worth $l2 on August 18. Fletcher was jointly charged with another person with stealing the articles from a flat owned bv Lake Tlmara, Ltd, in which they were living. Both pleaded guilty. The second offender has yet to appear tor i sentence. RECEIVING John Mornga, aged 31, a workman (Mr R. F. Powell), was fined $4O and ordered to pay restitution of $2.80 when he was sentenced on a charge of receiving a purse and contents worth W on June 6 knowing it had been dishonestly obtained. He had previously pleaded guilty. The Magistrate said it was clear from the probation officers report that Mornga waa less fortunate than the average per-, eon in his ability to cope with the probiema of modern living. CREDIT BY FRAUD John Patrick Mahoney, aged 17. an apprentice panelbeater, was convicted and fined $25 when he pleaded guilty to a charge of obtaining credit by fraud. He was ordered to make restitution of $1.85. Senior-Sergeant Mulcare said that Mahoney was one of a group of youths who obtained a meal at the Malibu Steak. House at 1.45 a.m. on May 23 and left without paying. INDECENT ACT Takawaenga Terewa Mokomoko, aged 37, a welder, was fined $lOO when he appeared for sentence on a charge of wilfully doing an Indecent act In Cowllshaw Street on August 9. He had pleaded guilty and been convicted.

The Magistrate said that what Mokomoko did while sitting in his ear waa a gross affront to the girt who saw him aa she paaaed. The defendant had never previously been before the Court and the offence appeared to be an Isolated incident in an otherwtae good record. (Before Mr W. F. Brown, S.M.) EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL Keith Avala Douglas Claydon, Med 45, a painter (Mr M. J. Glue), was lined 8100. disqualified for nine months from September 15, and ordered to pay medical expenses of *10.50 when he pleaded guilty to chargee of driving with an excessive alcohol concentration and failing to comply with traffic lights. Senior Traffic Officer J. H. Me-

Morran said that a blood test showed a concentration ol 174 milligrams of alcohol. Brendan John O’Malley, aged 20, a motor mechanic, was fined $lOO, disqualified for six months, and ordered to pay medical expenses of *10.50 when he pleaded guilty , to charges of driving with an excessive alcohol concentration and driving at a speed which might have been dangerous in Bealey Avenue on July 24.

A blood test showed a concentration of 139 milligrams of alcohol.

Bryan Wayne Edward Preston, aged 30, a company representative (Mr J. G. Leggat), was fined *75, disqualified for six months from September 15, and ordered to pay medical expenses of *10.50 when he pleaded guilty to charges of driving with an excessive alcohol concentration and failing to give way. A blood test showed a concentration of 139 milligrams of alcohol. DANGEROUS SPEED “This was completely irresponsible driving; you might have killed somebody,” said the Magistrate after hearing that a defendant drove at 70 miles an hour in Harper Avenue. The defendant, Barry Noel Dalzall, aged 23. a painter, pleaded guilty to driving at a speed which might have been dangerous in Rlccarton Road, Deans Avenue and Harper Avenue on June 17. He was fined *lOO and disqualified tor one year; Traffic Officer J. Keery said that Dalzell overtook heavy traffic in Rlccarton Road at 10.32 p.m. and drove on the incorrect side of the road in the face of oncoming traffic. In Dhans Avenue he drove on the incorrect side of the road at SO miles an hour fpr almost the entire length. In Harper Avenue a speed of 70 miles an hour was attained and the defendant’s car almost overturned. DANGEROUS LITTER Three bottles were thrown from a moving bus at Dunsandel. one shattering near a following vehicle, the Court was told when Andrew Stuart Hendry, aged 17, an apprentice mechanic, pleaded guilty to depositing dangerous litter on July 9. He was fined *l5. Traffic Officer R. Cook said that the bottles were thrown at 8.40 p.m. and the driver of a following car made a complaint. One bottle smashed on the road and two others went on to the verge. There was no damage to the car. When the bus was stopped a number of people wanted to take responsibility for throwing the bottles. The defendant admitted throwing only one. The Magistrate said that ordinarily a substantial fine would be imposed, but the defendant was an honest person in admitting the offence and had also travelled from Dunedin to face his responsibility. (Before Mr K. H. 3. Headifen, S.M.) PERIODIC DETENTION "You are making some efforts yourself and mavne yo„ sho„M consider some break with your associates,” the Magistra-e t , to William Hi’nwtr’-. unemployed, when Hunwick appeared for sentence on charges °f. forgery, false pretences, and attempted false pretences. Hunwick was sentenced to periodic detention for four months and ordered to pay $4O restitution. The offences involved *7O.