MAGISTRATES COURT Valueless cheques used to get liquor and money

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32873, 23 March 1972, Page 11

MAGISTRATES COURT Valueless cheques used to get liquor and money

Albert James Henderson, aged 34, unemployed (Mr E. T. Higgins), pleaded guilty in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday to five charges of false pretences in Oamaru, Dunedin, and Christchurch in February. He was convicted on all charges and remanded in custody to March 29 for sentence.

Henderson was directed by Mr W. F. Brown, S.M., to undergo a medical examination to determine his fitness for periodic detention. Detective Sergeant J. G. Howell said Henderson obtained liquor and money amounting to $184.67 by the issue of valueless cheques. Inquiries were still being made on how he came into possession of the cheques. The Magistrate said the remand would be in custody because of Henderson’s previous convictions and the seriousness of the present offences.

YOUTHS REMANDED Darryl Ivor Wheeler, aged 17, unemployed, and Bruce Ralph Nicol, aged 19, a farm labourer (Mr M. A. Burna), were re* manded on ball to March 29 when they pleaded guilty to possessing by night Instruments capable of being used for a burglary. When searched at 1.30 a.m. Wheeler had a glove in his leans, said Detective Sergeant Howell, and two gloves were found in Nicol’s sock. Both youths said that the gloves were to be used to avoid fingerprints, as they intended to commit a burglary at Walnoni. Wheeler said he had run out of money.

THEFT FROM METER On a charge of stealing $6.90, the property of the Christchurch Gas, Coal, and Coke Company, on March 21, Mark Graham Llghtowler, aged 17, unemployed, was convicted and remanded on ball to March 29 ior sentence. Ho pleaded guilty. Detective Sergeant Howell said "that Llghtowler was interviewed in the Garden City Entertainment Centre after he had been seen with a large quantity of small change. He told the police that he took the money from a gas meter in his fiat so that he could play pool at the centre. He had already paid restitution. Llghtowler was directed to undergo a medical examination to determine his fitness fof periodic detentions.

DEFERRED SENTENCE Edward Kevin FarreU, aged 41, a driver (Mr A. J. Forbes), was ordered to come up for sentence if called on within one year when he appeared for sentence on a charge of assault on a policeman. The usual penalty was imprisonment, said the Magistrate, but this assault was far removed from the ordinary assault on a constable. FarreU had spent his childhood in an orphanage and had a big handicap to face. His work record was a great credit to him. SHOPLIFTING A woman, whose name was suppressed, was ordered to come up for sentence if called on within one year when she pleaded guilty to six charges of theft. She was represented by Mr P. E. Whiteside. The defendant took a packet of tea from Wardells-Kincald, Ltd, and hid it with a cardigan, said Detective Sergeant Howell.

She was questioned by a store detective and a paper bag full of other items was found. The goods included cosmetics, clothing and toys worth $34.70. Mr Whiteside said that the woman was upset over a dispute over an estate. The toys were for children who assisted her. Counsel asked for suppression of name because of the defendant's standing in the community.

THEFT OF BICYCLE Peter Maurice Fax, aged 21, a factory hand, was remanded on bail to March 29 when he pleaded guilty to stealing a bicycle valued at $45. Fox was seen by a security office at 1 a.m. taking a bicycle from a stand in Colombo Street, said Detective Sergeant Howell. When approached. Fox put it back In the stand, but took it again when the officer went away. Fox wag detained by the officer. In explanation, Fox said that the bicycle had been in the stand for two or three days.

DISCHARGED A man found unlawfully in a country hotel was granted a rehearing and discharged without conviction under section 42 of the Criminal Justice Act. He was ordered to pay $25 towards the costs of prosecution. Mr I. C. J. Polson, who appeared for the defendant, described him as of excellent character, and Detective Sergeant Howell said there was nothing sinister in his actions.

(Before Mr H. J. Evans, S.M.) WILFUL TRESPASS Keith Duffield, aged 51, a builder (Mr B. McClelland), was convicted, and fined $5O after the hearing of evidence oh a charge of wilful trespass on January 8. Duffield pleaded not guilty. Inspector B. D. Read said that, acting on behalf of the management of the White Heron Lodge, he explained the provisions of the Trespass Act to a group of demonstrators, one of whom was Duffield. He gave them a warning at 10.28 p.m. that they were llule to be arrested if they did not disperse from the property in 15 minutes. The defendant was arrested when he refused to leave.

Mr McClelland submitted that the evidence did not show that Duffield wilfully or knowingly trespassed. There was also doubt about whether the time given by Inspector Read for dispersal had expired. The Magistrate said that he was not willing to infer from the evidence that Duffield believed what he said when he claimed at the demonstration that they had a right to be there. The evidence showed that it must have been clear to the defendant that he was being reSuited to move by the police, ut he was unyielding.

BURGLARY Christopher Ray Field, aged 20, a painter (Mr G. R. Lascelles), pleaded guilty to a charge of burgling a house on August 9.

He was convicted and remanded on ball to March 30 for sentence.

Sergeant R. S. Morgan said that electrical appUances worth $79 were taken. When interviewed on October 29. Field admitted going with two other men to the house. He waited in the car while the others loaded the goods into the boot Field was not a willing party te the burglary. (Before Mr P. L. Molineaux, S.M.) EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL Convictions for driving with an excessive alcohol content in the blood were imposed as follows, with costs of $5 and medical expenses of $10.50 in each case: Stephen Douglas Leckle (U6mg), $BO, disqualified from driving for six months; Michael John Nolan (229 mg $175, disqualified for 18 months; Jeffrey Roland Youngman (217 mg $l7O, disqualified for 15 months; Paul Leslie Walters (180 mg $lOO, disqualified foi nine months. (Before Mr F. G. Paterson, S.M.) DANGEROUS DRIVING Donald Douglas Cropp, aged 20, an apprentice electrician (Mr M. J. Glue), pleaded not guilty to charges of driving in a manner that was dangerous, failing to ascertain injury after an accident. and falling to stop after an accident. On the dangerous driving charge, Cropp was convicted ana fined $lOO and disqualified from driving for six months. For failing to stop after an accident he was fined $25 and disqualified for an additional six months. Cropp was ordered to pay witnesses expenses of $B3.