Penance for bomb hoax

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33093, 7 December 1972, Page 3

Penance for bomb hoax

(N.Z. Press Association) WANGANUI, Dec. 6. A youth who said there was a bomb at a political meeting in Wanganui last month was directed to perform community work for three months by Mr Justice Cooke in the Supreme Court at Wanganui today. John Duncan Witford, aged 19, of Marton, an honours student in science at the University of Canterbury, appeared for sentence on a charge of wilfully giving a fictitious telephone message on November 15. The charge arose from a bomb hoax during an election address by the Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon). His Honour said he did not

think the suggestion of counsel, Mr P. J. Owens, of periodic detention for Witford was entirely appropriate. “But if he is prepared voluntarily to render some service to the community as atonement for his offence, and so demonstrate his social responsibility, it is possible that leniency can be extended him,” he said. Adjourning the proceeding to the Supreme Court sitting in Wanganui on March 23, 1973, his Honour directed that Witford devote four hours on each of four Saturday mornings to community work in Marton or Wanganui as directed by the probation service. A report on his attitude and willingness for such work will be filed by March 1. His Honour said that if the report were favourable, Witford could expect leniency,

and the only penalty of substance might be an order for a contribution towards the cost of the prosecution.