MAGISTRATE S COURT Nine months gaol for preying on friends

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32708, 10 September 1971, Page 6

MAGISTRATE S COURT Nine months gaol for preying on friends

Neville Barrett, aged 21, unemployed (Mr J. E. Ryan), was sentenced to nine months imprisonment when he appeared for sentence in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday on three charges of burglary and three charges of theft to which he had previously pleaded guilty. Restitution of $226 was ordered. Mr P. L. Molineaux, S.M., said that he could see no alternative to imprisonment, as Barrett was on probation for burglary. “You embarked on a course of crime to enrich yourself at the expense of people you knew. You are single, unemployed, and have no fixed abode. You knew all of the complainants and even regarded them as friends,” the Magistrate said. THEFT FROM CLOTHESLINES

Five charges of theft involving 91 articles of women’s underwear worth $157.48 taken from clotheslines in the Woolston area between May and August were admitted by a man whose name was suppressed. He was convicted on the charges and remanded on bail to September 16 for sentence.

Sergeant R. S. Morgan said that after the police received a number of complaints from women in the Woolston area a sideboard in the defendant’s garage was searched with the consent of his wife on August 31 and a quantity of women’s clothing was found in it. The defendant admitted stealing the clothing from properties in streets off Ferry Road. He said he got the urge to take clothing when he was out walking at night. Sergeant Morgan said that in spite of extensive inquiries the police had been unable to find claimants for many articles, amounting in value to $ll7.

Mr M. J. Glue appeared for the defendant. GAOL FOR ASSAULT “It is a sorry state of affairs when a self-respecting married woman standing outside a picture theatre in the evening find? herself grabbed and kicked in the behind,” the Magistrate said to John Jacob Edwards, aged 18, an apprentice spray painter, when sentencing him to seven days gaol on a charge of assault. “I take a very serious view of this because it means that you are creating a situation where decent women are afraid to use the streets,” the Magistrate said. THEFT OF CAR Barry Robert Stokes, aged 24, a labourer (Mr D. H. P. Dawson), was fined $lOO and ordered to pay restitution of $l7O when he appeared for < sentence on a charge of steal- , ing a 1939-model car on Feb- ' ruary 25. . The Magistrate said that the conviction for theft arose out of a somewhat complicated car deal. The defendant sold a car on behalf of ' the complainant but kept the ' money. It was his first offence. TAVERN BURGLARY William Richard Page Baker, ( aged 21, a grain worker (Mr J. 1 E. Butler), was convicted and remanded on bail to September 16 i for sentence when he pleaded , guilty to a charge of burglary of the Tai Tapu Tavern. Sergeant Morgan said that the ■ lounge doors of the tavern were jemmied open on August 30 and money, cigarettes, and spirits worth more-than $lOO taken. At 1 a.m. on September 2, Baker walked into the Dunedin C. 1.8. office and told detectives he had committed the burglary. The Magistrate said that he was granting bail only because Baker had voluntarily admitted the offence. THEFT OF TV SET Tony Maurice Perreau. aged 24, unemployed, pleaded guilty to a charge of theft of a television set valued at $ll5, the property of Davis TV Sales and Hire, Ltd. He was convicted and remanded on bail to September 16 for sentence. Sergeant Morgan said that the complainant firm provided a set to a client on August 19 on a free. 24-hour trial basis. The set was not returned and the firm made a complaint to the police. Perreau was interviewed and admitted being involved. He told the police that arrangements had been made to sell the set before he and his friends got it from the shop. Perreau told the police that the set was taken to a city hotel as soon as it had been obtained and was sold. His share of the proceeds was $7. He refused to name his companions. Restitution of $ll5 was sought PERIODIC DETENTION Peter John Hansen, aged 18, a labourer (Mr M. J. Glue), was sentenced to four months periodic detention and disqualified from driving for six months on two charges of unlawfully taking vehicles. He had previously pleaded guilty and been remanded for a medical report. NINE MONTHS DETENTION Miro Pokaia, aged 28, a fitter and turner (Mr K. N. Hampton), was sentenced to periodic detention for nine months when he appeared on a charge of assaulting his wife. He had previously been convicted and remanded for medical examination to determine his fitness for detention.

(Before Mr H. J. Evans, S.M.) THEFT Brian Robert King, aged 20, a self-employed contractor, pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing a record player worth $99. He was convicted and ordered to pay restitution of $25, a warrant of commitment to be issued forthwith in the event of nonpayment. Sergeant W. J. Nicholl said that King was lent a record player two months ago. On September 2 he was given four hours notice to quit his flat, and had to pay an amount of money. He sold the record player to a second-hand dealer without obtaining the permission of the owner. RESERVED DECISION In a reserved decision, Russell John Hewinson, aged 29, a truckdriver (Mr B. J. Drake), was convicted on a charge of careless driving causing bodily injury. He was remanded on bail until September 16 for sentence. The Magistrate said there was no doubt that the defendant was guilty of a substantial failure to keep his car pn the correct side of the road on a bend in Wairakei Road. A permanent leg injury was suffered by a passenger in the defendant’s car. BLOOD-SPECIMEN OFFENCE George William Ornsby, aged 55. a labourer (Mr A. J. Forbes), was fined $75 and disqualified for one year when he was convicted of failing to supply a blood specimen at Lyttelton on August 18. He pleaded not guilty. Constable G. F. Scott said that the defendant’s car pulled up behind a patrol car in Norwich Quay. The defendant got out

and walked unsteadily to a dairy. Ornsby refused one breath test and a second test was positive, j He said he was not driving the 3 car and he refused to take a a blood test. s Mr Forbes said that the defend* £ ant asked for a doctor because i he thought the police would take * the blood test. He was told a i- doctor was not available. 4 REMAND □ Arthur Browne, aged 54, a “ psychiatric nurse (Mr A. P. C. ' Tipping), was again remanded, * until today, for sentence on 1 charges of dangerous driving, * failing to stop after an accident, a failing to ascertain injury, and * failing to stop at a stop sign. 2 The remand was ordered so that the defendant can be medically examined to determine his suit1 ability for periodic detention. > Bail was granted after submiss sions by counsel. Brown* had >. been in custody for six days. y Mr Tipping said that Browne 1 had an exemplary record and .. had served his country extremely s well during the , war. He had s been a prison officer and a police o officer and for the last 12 years e had worked as. a psychiatric . nurse. y ‘"The offence was completely ; and utterly out of character,” said counsel. <r lf the defendant • ’ goes to prison it is very likely his job will be terminated. He is an extremely valued employee * at Sunnyside Hospital.” f BENCH WARRANT I - A bench warrant was issued « i for the arrest of Leslie James i Smith, aged 22, a mechanic, when < . he failed to appear on a charge < tof disqualified driving. Counsel ryMr J. D. Atkinson), asked for . i leave to withdraw from the case. t This was granted. 1