MAGISTRATE’S COURT Man gaoled for two years after assault on girl

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33519, 27 April 1974, Page 17

MAGISTRATE’S COURT Man gaoled for two years after assault on girl

A 17-year-old youth was sentenced to imprisonment for two years when he appeared before Mr P. L. Molineaux, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday on charges of assaulting and indecently assaulting a seven-year-old girl on April 4. He is Peter Joseph Holdem, unemployed ( Mr M. G. L. Loughnan).

On a charge of attempting to indecently assault a >ix-year-old girl on the same date he was discharged without penalty. He had previously pleaded guilty and been convicted on the three charges. The Magistrate said the assault on the girl was one of the gravest kind and the public interest must now outweigh all other considerations. He said he agreed with counsel that Holdem was not only a criminal problem, and for that reason he would recommend that he be given psychological and medical treatment, during the term of imprisonment. The Magistrate said Holdem had already appeared before the Court on five separate occasions on charges of the same nature. He said that, in the public interest, it was essential that

[ a long term of imprisonment ; be imposed. I The Court had previously been told by Senior-Sergeant G. A. > Viewer that Holdem bound and "gagged the seven-year-old and I threw her in a creek in South Hagley Park after indecently ” assaulting her. | Holdem told the police that he had thrown the girl into the - ditch because he had been frustrated and scared. He hoped the girl would die so that he would not be found. p a CANNABIS CHARGE „ “Tlie defendant was lulled into e a sense of false security. She r was foolish enough to yield to - the suggestion that cannabis could he obtained for the constable,” the Magistrate said when The fined a young woman $l5O 5: on a charge of selling cannabis Ito an undercover constable in ’ October. , __ 0 Tereza Mari.ia Rae, aged 22, e a hairdresser (Mr C. A. McVeigh), 4 had previously pleaded guilty. „ Mr McVeigh said the constable ” asked her to obtain the cannabis for him, and she agreed. -1 He said the constable had 1 cultivated the defendant’s acquaintance in the hope it would ■ lead to a major source of supS ply. It was accepted that she was not a dealer in narcotics. „ She was a go-between. L I He added that where the t police deliberately incited the onmniiccinii nf nn nffpnpp thPTP

V till! l Ul <lll UllCilVC Ultll, I were special circumstances involved. THREE THEFTS Suzanne Dawn Gray, aged 23.. unemployed (Mr M. J Glue)., was sentenced to concurrent terms of three months imprisonment on each of three charges of theft in February, to be followed bv I’2 months probation. The defendant had stolen a radio worth $73.95, a cassette deck worth $65 and a pair of slacks worth $11.95. She had previously pleaded guilty to the charges. BURGLARY Mark Graham Lightowler. aged 19, unemployed, was convicted on his plea of guilty to nine charges of burglary, and one charge of attempted burglary. He was remanded in custody to May 3 for sentence, and a psychiatric report. Sergeant K. T. Boyle said the defendant admitted the offences, most of which were committed against chemists’ shops and doctors’ surgeries. He said they were committed to obtain narcotics, to which the defendant was addicted. Compensation of slßl was sought for unrecovered property and for damage caused by the defendant. PROBATION THEFT AND BURGLARY Erie .lames Keen, aged 18, was placed on probation for 18 months, with the special conditions that he work and reside where directed, undertake 72 hours community work and pay restitution of $3Bl when he appeared for sentence. Keen had previously pleaded guilty to one charge of theft and one of burglary.

BURGLARY OFFENCES I Shirley Margaret Gibbs, aged 34. a housewife (Mr R. B. Venning), pleaded guilty to five, charges of burgling business! premises between April 5 and April 17 Sire was convicted and: remanded on bail to May 3 for! sentence.

Sergeant Boyle said the defendant admitted committing the offences' in the company of a man when she was interviewed on April 18. Clothing worth $314 and a small quantity of money and soft drinks were stolen. ASSAULT ON CONSTABLE Trevor Thomas King, aged 43.. ■a carpenter, pleaded guilty to 'a charge of assaulting Constable) H. A. McLachlan on April 25. He was convicted and remanded; on bail to May 3 for sentence ! Sergeant Boyle said the police) were called to a house at 11.20 p.m. Constable McLachlan was confronted at the door by King: who had a bread knife in his; hand. , , The defendant said. ‘Don t come any closer. I’m going to defend my home.” When the constable tried to reason with him, the defendant thrust the knife at the constable, who avoided the blow. FOUR CHARGES Reginald Anthony Jensen, aged 17. unemployed, was sentenced to Borstal training when he appeared on four charges of burgling a house. He had previously pleaded guilty. Jensen stole a gold watch and $l4 in the burglaries. THEFT OF WINE Andrew Avison Ross, aged 30. a stonemason (Mr K. .1 Osborn i, was discharged without convic-i tion when he pleaded guilty to I stealing a bottle of wine valued at $2.60 from the Shirley Lodge’ bottle store on April 24.

Mr Osborn said that the defendant was a university graduate who had become drunk when: celebrating the completion of’ the draft of his thesis.

He had picked up the hottie on impulse, did not attempt to conceal it, and could not recall: 1 being chased by three employees! of the hotel. *1 THEFTS FROM CARS i: Alan Keith Donohue, aged 19, fia motor body trimmer (Mr E.i ,1. Higgins), pleaded guilty to 11 t, charges of theft of car parts! - and accessories worth $864.50.! • |He was convicted anti remanded i ?I on bail to May 3 for sentence. I The Magistrate directed that! Donohue be medically examined ■to determine his fitness for periodic detention. ’. LITTER OFFENCE Richard Paul Mathias, aged 22.; s a labourer, was convicted and - fined $4O when he pleaded guilty: illo a charge of depositing dangerj.ous litter in Cathedral Square on s; April 25. i; Sergeant Boyle said a milk bottle thrown bv Mathias struck , the bonnet of a police van , parked in the square. It then smashed on the roadway. e ASSAULT l " Lawrence Clyne Simmiss, aged ; 22, a workman (Mr A. S. Men--1 zies), was convicted on his Plea ? of guiltv and fined $5O on a 1 charge of assaulting his wife * on February 23. B Sergeant A. H. Huckstep said the complainant had been ; punched in the face and the! B stomach during a domestic! ®! argument.

argument. WILFUL DAMAGE On a charge of wilfully damaging a car window on April 24, Keith Miles Levy, aged 19. a workman, was convicted and placed on probation lor one year. He pleaded guiltv. As special conditions of pro bation he was ordered to pay compensation of $2O and to undertake 80 hours of community work. Sergeant Boyle said Levy threw 1 a part-filled beer bottle through a car window after an argument with the driver. REFUSED BLOOD SAMPLE Marious Anghelachis. aged 43. a welder (Mr D. H. P Dawson), was fined Sl5O and disqualified from driving for 18 months when he pleaded guiltv to a charge of refusing to permit a blood specimen to be taken on April 24. Sergeant Boyle said the defendant was found leaning out of his car window being sick. He smelt of drink. While being questioned, the defendant drove off and was eventually caught by a police patrol. He told the police that he “thought they had finished with him.” The defendant refused to accompany the police to the police station and was arrested He then refused to let a blood sample be taken. DRIVING OFFENCES

Anthony Arnold Hawkins, aged 24, an unemployed barman (Mr K. N. Hamptom. was sentenced! to eight months periodic deten tion and disqualified for six months when he appeared for sentenc on charges of driving while disqualified, and unlawfully taking a car. He had previously pleaded guiltv to both charges. Hawkins had taken the car from Christchurch, and was apprehended at Ashburton. EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL

Denis James Shannahan, aged 47, a carpenter, pleaded guiltv to a charge of driving with an excessive blood-alcohol concern tration (212 mg) on December 20. He was convicted and fined $2OO and dfsciualified from driving for 15 months. On a charge of riding a motorcycle on March 7 with an excessive blood-alcAhol concentration I (129 mg). David John Sligh, aged 18. a mill hand, was convicted and fined $75 and disqualified from driving for six months He pleaded guilty. Bruce Reginald Emirali. an airman. pleaded guiltv to a charge of driving with an excessive blood-alcohol concentration (162 mg), on January 13. He was ) convicted and fined $lOO and disqualified from driving for six months from May 10. Terrv Royce Young, aged 25. a sprav painter, was convicted and fined $l5O and disqualified from driving for one vear from May 10 when he pleaded guiltv to a charge of driving with an excessive blood-alcohol concentration (185 mg) on December 20. (Before Mr W. F. Brown. S.M.) ASSAULT ON CONSTABLE Geoffrev Donald Aitken, aged 20, a builder's labourer (Mr G M. Brodie), was fined $6O when) he appeared for sentence on a charge of assaulting Constable A. L. Windleburn on December 30. Tlie Magistrate said that the defendant would “get detention centre or something worse” if he appeared again on a similar charge. Mr Brodie said that the incident had arisen during a party held bv a group of motor-cyclists at Kerrs Road. The defendant had hit the con stable over the head with a full bottle of beer.

Mr Brodie said that thing', had happened very quickly for] the defendant. He was in a crowded flat when the police' gave a loud hailer warning, tried! io break down the front doot and then threw in tear gas. in the ensuing chaos, the defendant, unable to see. rushedout and aimlessly threw the! bottle. The defendant had previously! pleaded guilty to the charge. ; (Before Mr F. G. Paterson. 5.M.1l EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL Murray Reginald Costello, aged 47. a taxi-driver, of Hamilton, was convicted and placed on probation for two years and dis qualified from driving for one year from Mav 24 on a charge of driving with excessive blood alcohol (312 mg> on July 23. 1972. at Christchurch. He pleaded not guilty. He was also ordered to take out a prohibition order, and to undertake 100 hours community work.

Ration reduced The Sri Lanka Government has announced a cut in the rice ration for its 13 million inhabitants. Because |of the criticial food situ[ation, the extra lib of rice a 'week issued during the recent holiday will be discontinued from Monday, | meaning that each person 'will now receive lib free and lib at a subsidised 'price, together with lib of fl o u r every two 'weeks.—Colombo, April 26.