MAGISTRATE’S COURT “Firm penalty” for burglary offences

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33094, 8 December 1972, Page 17

MAGISTRATE’S COURT “Firm penalty” for burglary offences

"It is necessary to demon-! strate to you and to others] that a firm penalty will bej imposed by the Court fori these offences,” said Mr E.| S. J. Crutchley, S.M., in the] Magistrate’s Court yesterday,' when sentencing James Michael Duffy to imprisonment for one year on two charges of burglary. Duffy, aged 29, unemployed (Mr J. E. Butler), had previously pleaded guilty of i burgling the premises of Taylors Seafoods in Colombo Street on November 20, and the shop of Rita Hart in Tuam Street the next day. The Magistrate said the offences involved deliberate and substantial burglaries. Although they were committed with others, Duffy seemed to have played a full part in them. He said Duffy had already had the benefit of periodic detention centre training for a previous offence. FINES AND PROBATION 'These two assaults were quite serious and quite senseless,” said the Magistrate when sentencing Kenneth John Dickie, aged 17, an apprentice, on two charges of assault. He was fined a total of $lOO and released on probation for one year. Dickie had previously pleaded guilty to charges Of assaulting Alien Reginald Voss and Graham George Maxwell on September 23. The Magistrate directed that half of the S5O fine in respect of Mr Voss be paid to him as compensation. Counsel. Mr R. S. D. Twineham, said Dickie now appreciated the disgrace of his conduct; it was caused by his having had too much to drink when he should not have been drinking at all. FALSE PRETENCE Graham Raymond Williams, aged 24, a labourer (Mr D. J. I

Hewitt), was remanded on bail to December 14 for sentence after pleading guilty to obtaining clothing worth 5167 from a Christchurch shop by a false pretence.

Sergeant C. T. Dalzell said Williams obtained the clothing by presenting a cheque with the name “Peter Booth” and telling a sales assistant it was his own. Williams told the police he had been given the cheque a few hours before the offence was committed and told to buy cloth, ing for himself and obtain change. NARCOTICS CHARGE Alastair John Breckon, aged 19, unemployed (Mr Butler), admitted using cannabis on December 4. He was convicted and remanded on bail to December 14 for sentence. Sergeant Dalzell said the police found a small quantity of cannabis in a motel occupied by Breckon and another person when it was searched on December 4. EXPIRED PERMIT A young Tongan who recently married a New Zealand girl pleaded guilty to remaining in the country after the expiration of a temporary permit. He was convicted on the charge, which carries a mandatory penalty of deportation. Appearing for the Department of Labour, Mr D. J. Mac Kay said that Mosese VI was supposed to leave New Zealand on January 31. Counsel for Vi, Mr D. J. R. Holderness, told the Court that the defendant met a New Zealand girl in Christchurch while here seeking employment. Months later they were maried. Vi did not seek an extension of his permit because he was sure it would not be granted. Although at times unemployed, Vi had been able to support himself, .while in New Zealand. Counsel asked for the order for deportation to be deferred to allow time for an application for permanent residence to be considered. Mr Mac Kay said he would ensure that the defendant was not deported in the interim and he did not oppose bail. The Magistrate ordered Vi to be detained pending deportation but granted him bail. He said a formal application for detention

was necessary but did not preclude the granting of bail UNLAWFUL SALE Gary John Jamieson, aged 20. unemployed (Mr M. J. Glue), was convicted and remanded on bail for sentence to December 14 after pleading guilty to selling a television set supplied to him under a hire-purchase agreement. Sergeant Dalzell said Jamieson sold the television set to a dealer for $BO and it had not been recovered. The defendant had earlier paid a deposit of $l5 to the owners of the set. The police asked for restitution of the balance of $llO. ASSAULT Barry John Fraser, aged 17, a workman (Mr D. J. Mac Kay), pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting Alien Reginald Voss, on September 23. He was convicted and remanded on bail to December 14 for sentence. EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL On a charge of driving with an excessive blood-alcohol concentration (119 milligrams) on September 30, John Chanel Patrick Worley, aged 18, a bank officer, was convicted, fined $7O and disqualified from driving for nine months. He pleaded guilty. Nicholas John Matson, aged 19, a salesman (Mr Butler), also pleaded guilty to driving with an excessive blood-alcohol concentration. An analysis showed 130 mg. of alcohol per 100 ml. of blood. Matson was fined $7O and disqualified for nine months. Mr Butler said Matson suffered serious injuries after the borrowed car he was driving left the Victoria Park Road in the early morning of September 29. The car was “written off” and Matson had to stand the repayment of its value—sl3oo. The insurance company refused to cover the loss because of his drinking. CORRECTION A 19-year-old woolspinner, Mark Hallam Johnston, who was fined $5O in the Magistrate’s Court and released on probation for one year on charges of false presences and the theft of a cheque, stole a cheque valued at $3B and cashed it for that amount.

A report printed in “The Press” yesterday stated that the amount was $438.