MAGISTRATE'S COURT Court deplores feature of assault charge

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33445, 29 January 1974, Page 19

MAGISTRATE'S COURT Court deplores feature of assault charge

“The use of a bottle or glassware as a weapon is one aspect of behaviour which I deplore in the strongest terms possible,” Mr K. H. J. Headifen, S.M., said in the Magis-

t rate’s Court yesterday when Robert Welsh, aged 21, a soldier, pleaded guilty to charges of assaulting Mark Sexton Drum and Barry Joseph Drum in the Shirley Lodge Hotel on January 26.

Welsh was convicted and remanded in Army custody to February 2 for sentence. Senior-Sergeant F. G. Mulcare said that Welsh became involved in an argument with other bar patrons about 10 p.m. when some derrogatory comments, were made about the Army. Welsh picked up an empty beer jug and smashed it down on the forehead of Mark Drum. The complainant suffered severe lacerations which required hospital treatment. Welsh punched the other complainant in the face.

ASSAULT IN HOTEL “I don’t propose to have hotel staff subjected to this sort of treatment. Next time it will be prison for you,” the Magistrate said when Jack Rewi pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting Patricia Anne Moore on January 26.

Rewi, aged 37, a wool presser, was convicted and fined $l5O. The Magistrate directed that $5O of the fine be paid to the complainant. Senior-Sergeant Mulcare said Rewi spat food in the complainant’s face after he had been refused service in the Star and Garter Hotel. When this was ignored he punched her on the side of the face.

JURISDICTION DECLINED Allan Graham Urquhart, aged 30, an unemployed cook (Mr A. J. Forbes), was convicted and remanded in custody to the Supreme Court for sentence when he pleaded guilty to a total of 39 charges of false pretence and forgery involving the issue of valueless cheques from stolen cheque books. Senior-Sergeant Mulcare said Urquhart obtained money and goods worth more than $1072 by the offences. The Magistrate said he declined jurisdiction because of

the number of offences and Urquhart’s list of previous convictions. CANNABIS CHARGE John Thomas Patrick, aged 48, a shop manager (Mr G. K. Lascelles), was convicted and fined $2OO on a charge of having cannabis in his possession on January 17. He pleaded guilty. Senior-Sergeant Mulcare said 22.1 grams of cannabis were found in a bag in the defendant’s car when it was searched by the police. Mr Lascelles told the Court that Patrick obtained the cannabis some time ago from a seaman for his own use and had smoked very little of it since then.

ESCAPING CHARGE Alyson Kathleen Andrews, aged 19, unemployed, was convicted and remanded in custody to February 4 for sentence when she pleaded guilty to charges of escaping from the custody of the superintendent of Paparua Prison on January 25, and being found without lawful excuse in a building in Ferry Road two days later. Senior-Sergeant Mulcare said Andrews was being held in custody pending her appearance in Court on a large number of charges when she slashed her arms. She was taken to Christchurch Hospital for treatment and managed to escape from the I prison authorities. She was found by the police at 12.30 a.m. on January 27 in a house in Ferry Road. HOUSE BURGLARY Two unemployed youths who pleaded guilty to a charge of burgling a house in Otara Street on January 16 were convicted and remanded on bail to February 4 for sentence. They are David William Rowney, aged 17, and Tony Rex Saunders, aged 17 (Mr T. M. Abbott, for both). Senior-Sergeant Mulcare said that the defendants and another person threatened the occupant of the house and took two gold watches, a cheque book and $B. Saunders was convicted and remanded to the same date for sentence on his plea of guilty to two charges of false pretence involving money and goods worth $61.89 and a charge of theft of clothing worth $49.

! DANGEROUS SPEED I Christopher Ross Irving, aged 19, a fitter welder, was fined $5O and disqualified for a year when he appeared on a charge of driving at a dangerous speed on ! Yaldhursf Road on September 22. He pleaded guilty. Senior-Sergeant Mulcare said that the defendant had overtaken a line of cars going in the same direction at a speed which witnesses estimated at 8090 miles an hour. When attempting to pull back into the line to avoid an oncoming ear, he collided with another car, causing damage to it and slight injury to the driver.

He told the police he was travelling at 55-60 miles an hour. REMAND LN CUSTODY A youth who pleaded guilty to two charges of riding a motor cycle while disqualified, three charges of unlawfully taking a motor-cycle and a charge of burgling a house, was convicted and remanded in custody to February 4 for sentence. He is Trevor John Mann, aged 17, a kitchen hand (Mr T. M. Abbott).

WILFUL DAMAGE On a charge of wilfully damaging 30 soft drink bottles worth $2O on January 17. David John Packham aged 21. an apprentice (Mr D. H. Hicks), was convicted and fined $5O and ordered to pay full compensation. He pleaded guilty. Senior-Sergeant Mulcare said that the bottles were broken during a disturbance in the Silver Grill Restaurant.

STOLE GLASSES Kenneth Peter Mansfield, aged 31, a service station attendant, was fined $4O on his plea of guilty to a charge of theft of 12 glasses on January’ 26. Senior-Sergeant Mulcare said that the defendant was found in his ear in a highly intoxicated ’ state. He had the glasses in hisi possession and said he had been I drinking heavily all day. DEFERRED SENTENCE Terrence John Minchington.; aged 54, a workman, was ordered; to come up for sentence within one year if called upon when he; pleaded guilty to a charge of!

burgling the factory of Alex Cowan and Sons. Ltd. on January 20. As a special condition he was ordered to take out a prohibition order. THEFT AS SERVANT Deirdre Margaret Lawrence, aged 20. a shop assistant, pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing two towels worth $5.58 from her employer D.1.C.. Ltd, on January 25. She was convicted and fined $4O. TOOK CAR Stephen Cyril Robinson, aged 21. unemployed, pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawfully taking a car on January. 25. He was convicted and remanded on bail to February 4 for sentence. DRIVING OFFENCE On a charge of driving while disqualified on September 29. Daniel Thomas Whibley, aged 18, a labourer, was convicted and remanded on bail to February 4 for sentence. He pleaded guilty.

(Before Mr F. G. Paterson, S.M.) CAUSED DEATH Alastair David McCrostie. aged j 25, a fitter (Mr J. F. Burn). was| convicted and fined $250. ordered I to pay witnesses expenses oil $18.75. and disqualified for 12 j months on a charge of careless) use of a car causing the death of Pauline April Seddon. on Aug-; ust 1. McCrostie pleaded not guilty | to the charge. A charge of driving with an excessive blood alcohol concentration and a charge of driving with excessive I blood alcohol concentration caus-. ing death were withdrawn.

Evidence was given that the ■ two vehicles, driven by the dead > woman’s husband, and the de- j fendant. were travelling south | and north respectively on the Main South Road, near Dunsandel. A head-on collision occurred and Mrs Seddon died as a result of injuries she suffered. Both ears swerved to the right j to avoid the collision, which oc-i curred on an S bend. No one! else was seriously injured. Mr Burn said the alcohol con- i tent was low. and the accident ; occurred as a result of a momentary lack of concentration. (Before ‘Mr E. S. J. Crutchley, i S.M.)

VAGRANCY CHARGE Keith Owen Hinds, aged 20,: an unemployed factory worker,! who appeared before the Court I on Thursday on a charge relat- i ing to his possession of keys,! was not charged with being a! rogue and a vagabond under the i Police Offences Act in respect! of them, as reported on Friday,. but under the Crimes Act with having possession of instruments : capable of being used for the commission of an offence.

Hinds was charged that he had! in his possession by night, instru- ; ments, namely three gloves and i two key rings containing nuraer-! ous car keys, capable of being used for taking a motor vehicle | in circumstances that prima facie i showed an intention to use them' for that purpose. Hinds was put on probation for one year and disqualified from driving for six months on this charge and on a charge of driving while disqualified. He pleaded guilty to both charges.