SUPREME COURT "Practised burglars” gaoled for year

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33675, 26 October 1974, Page 13

SUPREME COURT "Practised burglars” gaoled for year

Two men described as “practised burglars who had not done an honest day’s work this year’’ had the prison terms they are at present serving extended by a year by Mr Justice Macarthur in the Supreme Court yesterday. They are Michael Roland Poharama aged 27, and Rodney Warwick Burt, aged 24, prison inmates, who each appeared for sentence on charges of burglary of the Hornby Working Men’s Club on July 11 and for being in possession of instruments of burglary.

Poharama was also sentenced on a charge of burglary of the premises of W. T. Murray, Ltd. Mr G. K. Panckhurst appeared for the Crown and Mr R. B. Venning for both prisoners. Both men had been released from prison early this year, said his Honour. It

seemed clear that previous terms of imprisonment had done nothing to deter them from further offending, as in the few months which followed they committed a number of crimes. “The blunt truth is that you are both practised burglars. As far as I can see, you have not done an honest day’s work this- year,” his Honour said. “The public has to be protected, because burglary is rife. The police have an anxious task in endeavouring to cope with so many offences.” “I am not prepared to accept your counsel’s submission that the terms of imprisonment to which you are presently subject should apply to these cases as well. A further term of imptisonment must be imposed upon each of you. The only thing which stops me from making it a very long period is that there is the danger of you both becoming in-

stitutionalised,” said his > Honour. “LONG LIST” Burglary was so prevalent I in and around Christchurch , that the Court had to take note of the fact, said his Honour when sentencing Alfred John Oldham, aged 26, a tyre flitter, to a year’s imprisonment on a charge of burglary of the premises of the Reidrubber Tyre Centre, Durham Street, on June 1. Mr G. K. Panckhurst appeared for the Crown and Mr M. J. Glue for Oldham. His Honour said that Oldham had broken into premises where he had been employed and had taken a cheque form. It did not appear that he had got away with any other property. Oldham had a long list of convictions for offences involving dishonesty and had spent much time in recent years in prison, his Honour said. This offence had been committed just before the date upon which Oldham was due to be released from his last sentence. PERIODIC DETENTION John Leslie Arthur, aged 25, unemployed (Mr D. J. Holderness) was sentenced to four months periodic detention on three charges of receiving electronic and photographic equipment, records, a cheque book, and jewellery, the property of Jacqueline Patricia Stockdale, Leslie James Eggers, and Cecil Charles Devine, when he knew they had been dishonestly obtained. Arthur, who was appearing for sentence, pleaded guilty to the charges on arraignment. His Honour said that the stolen property involved in the charges was valued at about $6OO. Arthur had no previous conviction involving dishonesty. The probation officer was optimistic . about his future.