MAGISTRATE’S COURT Club secretary admits four offences

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33665, 15 October 1974, Page 7

MAGISTRATE’S COURT Club secretary admits four offences

A man who pleaded guilty in the Magistrate's Court yesterday to four charges of dishonesty arising from his employment as secretary-manager of the Woolston Working Men’s Club was remanded on bail to October 22 for sentence. He is Robert Aubrey Herdman, aged 47 (Mr L. M. O’Reilly). Herdman was convicted by Mr iF. G. Paterson. S.M., on charges] of stealing S4OO and a cheque : for §4600 from the club while employed by it. a charge of falsifying a remittance advice for *2BB, and a charge of obtaining liquor worth £42.47 from R. Powley and Co., Ltd. by false pretence. The offences were com-' mitted between November 23 and August 22. Senior-Sergeant G. A. Cl ewer, said Herdman had been employed as secretary-manager of the club for four years. On November 23 he used a club cheque to buy a car for his own use which he registered in the club's name. He had no authority to do this. He obtained liquor worth $42.47 on August 2 for his own use and charged it to the club. On August 22 Herdman; falsified a remittance advice for' $2BB and used the money to pay his personal travel expenses. On< the same date he stole $4OO l lodged as a debenture deposit. '

Mr O'Reilly said an arrangement. had been entered into between the club and Herdman in respect of the car, which had retained its. value since purchased. Resfitution of $730.47, the balance owing to the club, had already been paid by Herdman. Mr O’Reilly said Herdman had a history of psychiatric treatment and was in need of help. He had a personality problem and a problem with alcohol. The Magistrate refused to grant an application for suppression of name. ASSAULT On a charge of assaulting Traffic Officer B. R. Garnetf on October 6, Brian Leslie Wendt, aged 26. a car wrecker (Mr W. S. Smith), was convicted and remanded on bail to October 21 for sentence.

He was convicted and remanded to the same date for sentence on a charge of driving while disqualified on July 7.

Wendt pleaded guilty to both charges. Senior-Sergeant Clewer said Wendt punched the traffic officer in the face when the officer stopped his car in Pages Road. Wendt had been seen drinking from a bottle of beer. THEFT CHARGE Teo Parani Kere Kere, a shop assistant, was remanded on bail j to October 22 for sentence when; she pleaded guilty to stealing i $49.69 worth of articles from her; employer between July 1 and! September 12. When spoken to by the police: concerning the thefts, said Senior-Sergeant Clewer, the de-i fendant readily admitted them. I The articles taken included; clothing, hardware and linen! from J. Rattray and Son, Ltd. : THEFT FROM CAR Stephen Hugh Francis, _ aged i

i 17, unemployed, pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing with two other persons articles w r orth $29 • from a car on September 22. He ■ w r as convicted and remanded on bail to October 21 for sentence. MILK THEFT On a charge of stealing a bottle of milk on October 13, Julian Paul Lee Miles, aged 19, i a freezing worker, was convicted I and fined $2O. He pleaded guilty. > (Before Mr T. A. Ross. S.M.) FIGHT IN HOTEL George Dickson Tehuna, aged! 22. a lineman, and Alan James: Burke, aged 20, a lineman (Mr: G. M. Brodie, for both), pleaded i guilty and were convicted and fined $65 each on charges resultI ing from an incident at the Bush Inn Hotel on August 31. Tehuna was charged w’ith i assaulting and resisting Con- > stable W. D. Schwass, and behaving in a disorderly manner. Burke was charged with assaulting and resisting Constable A. Schofield, and behaving in a disorderly manner. Senior-Sergeant L. M. Simmonds said that about 10.20 p.m. the police were called to the hotel to clear it of patrons. .A large number of persons refused to leave. When Tehuna saw the police he jumped to his feet and started to abuse them. He said he “wanted to have a go at the police” and he “would knock them all flat.” He boxed Constable William Douglas Schwass on the ears and started throwing wild punches. Burke argued and made threats to the police and encouraged Tehuna to fight. He pushed a constable and tried to free Tehuna. Constable Schofield was hit in the face and received a bloody nose. Senior-Sergeant Simmonds said that about 80 to 100 persons were In the bar at the time and a general brawl broke out after this disturbance. Mr Brodie said the defendants had been grossly affected by liquor at the time of the offence as the group the defendants were in had consumed eight jugs I of whiskey during the evening. | RING TAKEN j .Annie Beatrice Johns, aged 59, a housewife (Mr G. M. Brodie), pleaded guilty and was convicted and released on probation for a year on a charge of stealing a ruby and diamond ring, valued at $3OO, from Vernon Lionel Gordon Stapp on June 14. » Senior-Sergeant Simmonds said Johns had been employed by the complainant for 15 years. In May Mrs Stapp fell 111. Johns later took the ring from Mrs Stapp’s bedside jewellery box,

when she was meant to be looking after Mrs Stapp. Mr Brodie said Johns had no idea of the value of the ring. WALL DAMAGED Peter Joseph Kerrison, aged 20, a freezing worker (Mr A. C. Hughes-Johnson), pleaded guilty and was convicted and fined $25, and ordered to pay $lO compensation for wilfully damaging aj wall at the Invercargill City Council Baths on April 14, 1973. Senior-Sergeant Simmonds said that about 2.30 p.m. Kerrison! was ordered out of the baths , Kerrison went to the office and i demanded the money he had left there for safe keeping. He; was told to go and get changed • first.

Kerrison punched a hole in the wall and said the same would happen to the manager if he did not get his money back. (Before Mr P. L. Molineaux, S.M.) COMMUNITY WORK David Brian Taiepa, aged 17, a carpet layer (Mr P. H. B. Hall), was released on probation for 12 months and ordered to undertake 60 hours community work when he appeared for sen-!

fence on two charges of unlaw- 1 fully interfering with a motor vehicle. The Magistrate said Taiepa and two others Interfered with two, cars and syphoned petrol from l them. Mr Hall submitted that Taiepa: held the can during the offences/ and played only a minimal role in them. THEFT FROM FLAT Thomas Sydney Brown, aged 52. unemployed (Mr E. T. Higgins), was sentenced to periodic! detention for four months and! placed on probation for one year! when he appeared on a charge

■i of stealing a radio, money and a pair of shoes worth $156.50 'from a flat in Croydon Street on July 23. He had previously 11 pleaded guilty.. He was ordered to pay compensation of $159.50. SEXUAL OFFENCE On a charge of having unlawful sexual intercourse. Alfred j Hugh Johanson, aged 21. a truck driver (Mr L. M. O’Reilly), was P fined $lOO, and placed on probation for 12 months He had : I previously pleaded guilty. H He was also ordered not to associate with the complainant (Iwithout her parents’ permission.