MAGISTRATE'S COURT Youth admits assault on motor-cyclists

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33512, 18 April 1974, Page 8

MAGISTRATE'S COURT Youth admits assault on motor-cyclists

Steven John Cridland. aged 18, unemployed, pleaded guilty in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday to two charges of assault and one charge of depositing dangerous litter in Marshland Road on January 4. He was convicted by Mr P. 1.. Molineaux, S.M., and remanded on bail to April 24 for sentence. Detective-Sergeant T. O. Tozer said that the complainants, James- Thomson and Stephen Brent Appleford, were standing with their motor-cycles in Marshland Road when a bottle thrown from a passing car struck one of the motor-cycles. The car. driven by Cridland. made a U turn and came back. The occupants got out and approached the motor-cyclists. Mr Thomson was struck on the shoulder with a crash helmet, and Mr Appleford was hit on the head with what appeared to be a spanner.

Cridland. who also admitted throwing the bottle, said he thought the motor-cyclists had earlier given him the ‘fingers sign” in Kaiapoi. MURDER CHARGE James William Lewis aged 24, an unemployed factory hand (Mr K N. Hampton*, was remanded in custody to May 13 for the taking of depositions on a charge of murdering Phyllis Myrtle Reedy, aged 63. a widow, on April 5. SHOTS THROUGH TENT Paul Steven Ramage, aged 17. a driver’s assistant (Mr M. J. Glue), was sentenced to periodic detention for three months and placed on probation for one year when he appeared on a charge of discharging a .22 calibre rifle on March 30 with reckless disregard for the safety of other persons. He had previously Pleaded guilty. Senior-Sergeant G. A. Clewer earlier told the Court that Ramage fired two snots through a tent occupied by two scouts campihg near the Waimakariri riverbed. "This was a very reckless and wicked act." the Magistrate told Rainage

ASSAULT MISGUIDED Gregory Martin Clark, aged 17, a builder's labourer i.Mr R. MeSporranl. was fined $5O and placed on probation for 12 months when he appeared for sentence on a charge of assault. The Magistrate said that because the defendant had had no previous convictions, and because the assault may have been a rather misguided attempt to protect a pedestrian, he was prepared to impose a term of probation. ASSAULT CHARGE

Graeme Charles Talbot, aged 32, a sickness beneficiary, was convicted and fined $4O when he pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting David Paul Hughey. Detective Sergeant Tozer said that the complainant attended a stock car meeting at Kaiapoi on February 24. The defendant was nearby with a group of friends, who were drinking. Some discussion arose between the defendant and the complainant. during which the defend-

ant twice pulled the complainant from a sitting position to a standing position by the hair. The defendant said that the complainant stood up in front of him and blocked his view. He also said he only pulled the complainant by the hair once.

RAILWAYS OFFENCE Anthony John Shipley, aged 17, an electro-plater (Mr J. S. Risphant, pleaded guilty to a • charge of having unlawful possession of a New Zealand Rail-

ways tarpaulin between March 2 and March 23. 1973. He was 1 convicted and fined $25. DISQUALIFIED DRIVER Maxwell Robert Blacktop, a workman (Mr N. R. W. Davidsom, was convicted and fined $l5O and disqualified for an additional period of six' months on a charge of driving while disqualified on January 4. He pleaded guilty. (Before Mr W. F. Brown. S.M.) NAME SUPPRESSED A youth, aged 19. was put on two years probation when he appeared for sentence on nine charges of burglary, one of theft, and one of attempted burglary. He had previously been convicted on a plea of guilty. The Magistrate ordered suppression of name because of the defendant's psychiatric background. For the same reason he was ordered to undergo medical or hospital treatment as directed by i he probation officer For the defendant, Mr J. A. Robertson said that he had largely been an onlooker in the crimes. In the theft of a toilet water cistern from Woolston Park he had merelv been a "look-out.” He was not sure if the defendant could tell the difference between right and wrong, said Mr Robertson. RECKLESS DRIVING Gregory Martin Clark, aged 17/1: a builder’s labourer, pleaded guilty to a charge of reckless; driving. He was convicted and i fined $lOO and disqualified fori one year. I

Traffic Officer A. Ring said that the defendant drove his ear along the footpath in front of some shops. A customer in one shop ! was badly shaken, he said. EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL Christopher Cleave, aged 20, was convicted on a charge of driving with an excessive bloodalcohol concentration i.'JOOmgl and remanded on bail to April 24 for sentence. He pleaded guilty. In other Ministry of Transport prosecutions for driving with an excessive blood-alcohol concentration convictions were entered and penalties imposed as follows:— Murray Albert Blake (159 mg fined sloo. disqualified for six months; Kenneth John Curley (175 mg fined $75. disqualified for nine months. ißefore Messrs D. V. Wilson and J. S. Hawker. Justices of the Peace> COMMITTED FOR TRIAL Michael John Ferguson, aged 27. unemployed, was committed for trial to the Supreme Court when he appeared for the taking of depositions on a charge of theft of men’s clothing and cash I to the value of $212.30 on December 15. Mr T. M. Abbott, who appeared for the defendant, reserved his: | defence. Terrance James Wright, aged 26, a labourer (Mr Abbott! was i committed for trial when he appeared for the taking of depoI sitions on a charge of being a ■ rogue and a vagabond on February 13.