MAGISTRATE'S COURT Union secretary fined for forgery

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33741, 14 January 1975, Page 15

MAGISTRATE'S COURT Union secretary fined for forgery

Gordon Gilmore Walker, aged 44, a union secretary, was fined a total of $250 on seven charges of forging audit certificates when he appeared for sentence before Mr H. J. Evans, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. The Magistrate said that although the offences were aerious in principle no attempt at theft or misappropriation of funds had been attempted. Walker had pleaded guilty to forging three audit certificates for the Canterbury Boilermakers’ Union for the years 1971 to 1973, two certificates for the Canterbury Rope and Twine Union for 1972 and 1973, and two certificates for the Christchurch Iron and Brass Moulders’ Union for 1971 and 1972. For the defendant, Mr B. McClelland said Walker die not have enough time to do the work for the three unions. When the annual reports had to be presented to the unions he forged an accountant’s name certifying that the books had been audited.

Although he had a limited schooling, Walker had worked up to a leading position in the local trade union movement, said Mr McClelland. He was held in high regard at the Trades Hall and was known for giving of his best for union members. It had been a tremendous blow to Walker that charges had been laid, said Mr McClelland. Walker had tendered his resignation as secretary of the Canterbury Firemen’s Union but this had not been accepted, said Mr McClelland. The same had happened with other small unions. ' „ Walker was fined $4O on the first charge and $35 on the other six charges. The Magistrate said that Walker had also suffered because his name was not suppressed.

TWO CHARGES A youth was sentenced to 12 months probation and ordered to do 73 hours community work on a charge of burglary of "The Cabin,” Sumner, and theft of a petrol can and two gallons of petrol valued at $5, on December 20. He is Donald Cameron Forrester, aged 13, unemployed (Mr D. M. Palmer), who was appearing for sentence after earlier being convicted. Mr Palmer said that the defendant denied causing a fire in the shop which broke out after the burglary'. ■‘What better way is there to attract attention to a burglary fhan by causing a fire,” said Mr Palmer. (Before Mr K. H. J. Headifen, S.M.) NINE OFFENCES A man who took a car from Nelson and helped drive it to Dunedin, changing the number plates on the way, was convicted on nine charges and remanded to January 20 for sentence. Tony Allan Munro, aged 20, uemployed (Mr M. J. Glue), pleaded guilty to four charges of driving while disqualified, two of supplying a false name to a traffic officer, one of unlawfully, faking a car worth 52800, and, two of theft. Sergeant D. B. Kerr said that on December 23 the defendant took the car from a Nelson beach after he found the keys inside it. He helped drive it fo Christchurch where a set of number plates were stolen and put on the car. The car then went to I Dunedin and the defendant was one of five persons found in it. i The defendant had paid fori petrol from 518 in cash that was! in the car. He had also tried to; sell the car to a car dealer in) Dunedin. The other offences of driving! while disqualified and supplying) false information occurred in I September and October. FRAUD CHARGE On a charge of obtaining money I by fraud. Robert Lyttle, aged 30, a skin packer, was convicted and! ordered to come up for sentence! if called upon within six months. He pleaded guilty. | The Magistrate ordered that! he pay $139 restitution. Sergeant Kerr said that on November 19 the defendant received a cheque for $139 from his employer. The cheque was for wages. His employer had made a mistake and overpaid the defendant by $lOO. However, he asked the defendant not to cash it. The defendant agreed but later cashed it at the Red Lion Tavern in Rangiora. STOLE MONEY Piwi Ta Manuhlri Edmonds, aged 20 (Mr M. J. Glue), was

sentenced to Juvenile periodic detention for three months when he pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing foreign currency. The defendant entered a friend’s flat and took Malaysian and Singaporean currency from a suitcase, said Sergeant Kerr. He then exchanged the money at a bank for $2lB and deposited it at another bank. The next day he withdrew the money and put it back in the same suitcase. THEFT OF MONEY Gary Tomas Botterlll. aged 22, a barman, was placed on probation for 12 months when he appeared for sentence on a charge of theft. He had earlier been convicted of stealing $7OB from betting syndicates. For the defendant, Mr T. M. Abott said that the defendant had repaid the amount involved. He was under a considerable amount of financial stress when the offence was committed. BURGLARY OF SHED A youth who stole three electric drills valued at $270 was convicted and remanded on bail to January 20 for sentence on a charge of burglary. Paul Gerrard Kennedy, aged 19, a floor sander (Mr G. R. Lascelles), pleaded guilty. Sergeant Kerr said that the defendant burgled a shed owned by Charles S. Luney Construction on December 13. EXCESS ALCOHOL Donald Hanson, aged 19, a glass worker, was convicted and remanded on bail to January 20 for sentence when he pleaded guilty to driving with an excess blood-alcohol content Sergeant Kerr said that the defendant had 173 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. Paul Steven Clarke, aged 17, was fined a total of $l5O and disqualified from driving for one year on charges arising from an accident on Lower Styx Road on October 5. Clarke pleaded guilty to driving with an excess blood-alcohol content (164 milligrams) and driving in a manner which might have been dangerous. VIOLENT STRUGGLE A violent struggle arose when David Barry Madgwick, age! 19, a worker, was arrested by the police for using insulting language in Colombo Street on January 12, said Sergeant Kerr. The defendant was fined $4O for resisting the police and $2O for using obscene language. He pleaded guilty to both charges. The defendant told the police he resisted because he did not want to lose face in front of his friends, said Sergeant Kerr, UNLAWFUL ENTRY

A youth pleaded guilty to unlawfully entering the house of

Pauline Joan Willcod with Intent to commit a crime. Alan Maher, aged 17, unemployed, was remanded in custody to January 20 for sentence.

) Maher admitted his offence but [Said he was in financial trouble, said Sergeant Kerr. BURGLARY CHARGE Two men admitted they had burgled a house on Waipara Street “because they did not like the person who was living there.” Gregory Arthur Toon, aged 23, painter, and Stephen Frank Howard. aged 24, labourer, pleaded guilty to a charge of burglary. Howard also pleaded guilty to a second charge of receiving an amplifier valued at $4OO.

Both defendants were remanded to January 20 for probation officer’s report and sentence. The men admitted taking a television set from the house because they did not like the person who was living there. Toon also had in his possession an amplifier which he said he had bought and intended selling. FOUND IN GROUNDS Being found in the enclosed grounds of a house in Merrington Crescent with no lawful excuse, cost three youths $2O each. Donald Raymond Drummond, aged 17, freezing worker, Barry Lawrence Drummond, aged 23, smallgoods man, and Ben Frank Van Der Velden, aged 18, welder, pleaded guilty to the charge. Sergeant Kerr said at 10.30 p.m. on January 11 four youths parked their vehicles in Herrington Crescent and entered a house’s grounds. The defendants were observed by a neighbour who notified the police. When asked for an explanation, the defendants said they had only gone there for a quiet drink. The fourth youth is to appear in the Children’s Court. ASSAULT Trevor James Garlick, 43, timberworker, was fined $73 on a cl’-ge of assaulting a police constable. He pleaded guilty. Sergeant , Kerr said that at 10.15 on January 11, the police called at a house in Linwood where it was reported two men were fighting. The police found two men arguing in the house, and one of them, the defendant, was asked to leave. He did so, but then returned.

He once again was asked to leave, and when outside struck Constable Anthony John Duncan three times on the chest. The defendant had to be handcuffed, said Sergeant Kerr.