MAGISTRATE'S COURT Men convicted after fight in tavern

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33753, 28 January 1975, Page 7

MAGISTRATE'S COURT Men convicted after fight in tavern

On charges of resisting and obstructing a constable and wilfully damaging his shirt on January 25, Geoffrey Michal Crawford, aged 26, a foreman drainlayer, was convicted and fined a total of S5O when he pleaded guilty before Mr W. F. Brown, S.M. in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Detective Sergeant N. W. Milsum said that Crawford stood in the doorway of the Papanui Tavern bottle store at 4.45 p.m. and abused the police who were attempting to break up a fight. He prevented them from stopping the fight and refused to move aside. He struggled violently when arrested and tore a constable’s shirt.

Two other persons charged with obstructing and resisting a constable as a result of the same incident pleaded guilty to the charges and were convicted and fined a total of $6O. They are Kenneth Wayne Kennedy, aged 24, a plant operator, and Charles Russo, aged 21, a concrete worker. Detective Sergeant Milsum said that both defendants intervened and attempted to pull their friend away when he was arrested. ASSAULT ON WIFE Te Rel Ranglhuna, a butcher, pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting Ills wife, Valerie Annette Rangihuna, on January 19. He was convicted and remanded on bail to February 4 for sentence. Detective Sergeant Milsum said that the police were called to a domestic dispute at a house in Durham Street about 8.40 a.m. They were met by the complainant who was bleeding from the mouth and had a tooth missing. The defendant admitted he had struck his wife several blows about the face. INJURING CHARGE A youth charged with injuring Aldo Solano with intent during a motor-cycle brawl on Saturday night was remanded in custody until January' 30. John Ross Hopkins, aged 23, unemployed, did not plead. Inspector P. V. Coster opposed bail. STOLE BATTERIES A man who took a car battery from a car sales yard was convicted and fined $4O when he pleaded guilty to a charge of Detective Sergeant Milsum said that Frank William Russell, aged 30, a yard operator, needed a batterv for his car so he and a friend went out and stole one. • He was noticed by a member

of the public and the police j were informed. SHOPLIFTING Georgina Mavis Williams, aged 18, unemployed (Mr D. H. P. Dawson), was released on probation for 18 months when she was sentenced on four charges of stealing clothing worth $105.30 from Christchurch stores on January 9. She pleaded guilty and was convicted at an earlier hearing. TOOK CARS Kenneth George Hopkinson, aged 17, unemployed (Mr K. J. Osborn) was remanded on bail until February 3 for sentence when he pleaded guiltv to four charges. Detective Sergeant Milsum said Hopkinson and an associate burgled a house in Invercargill and took the keys for a car parked In a garage. He abandoned it and took another car to Alexandra. The day after he took a utility truck from Gore but was apprehended by the police when he attempted to buv petrol from farmers about 10 miles from Gore. EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL Raynor Francis Hoopoe, aged 26, a machine operator, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving with an excessive blood-alcohol level (133 mg on November 11. He was convicted and fined f 25 and disqualified from driving for six months from February 10. (Before Mr F. G. Paterson, S.M.) ASSAULT Kenneth Maxwell Healey, aged 22, a ship’s steward (Mr G. r „. Lascelles), was released on probation for 12 months and ordered to do 50 hours community work when he was convicted on two charges of assault. A third charge was dismissed. . ~ , In evidence, Mr G. Kirkpatrick said that on November 30, 1973, he was in the Esplanade Tavern, New Brighton, drinking and playing pool. As he walked back to his table, he saw an argument between an elderly man and the defendant. He said the defendant aimed a blow at the man although it did not strike him. He said he told the defendant to stop it and was punched. The defendant kept punching and kicking him, and he suffered a cut lip. Mr Kirkpatrick said that a friend, Mr J. Genet, came to his assistance, holding the defendant by the arms. When released the defendant began fighting again.

Mr Genet said he suffered a broken jaw during the evening but said he did not know who had hit him. The manager of the Esplanade Tavern, Mr G. Bowden, said he had come downstairs to the public bar after being told there was a fight there. As he came downstairs he saw the defendant backing out Of the door. Mr Bowden said that when he asked what was going on the defendant punched him. ' In evidence the defendant said he had played a game of pool at the Invitation of another customer of the tavern. He went back to the table in order to

(play another game. An elderly man came up to him and said he could not play again. He said he pushed the man away so he could put his money in the machine. The defendant said Mr Kirkpatrick then came over to him, lilt him and he feU to the floor. He was held but broke away and was hit by someone else. He said a fight then broke out between a number of customers in the hotel. After getting up from the floor, he made for the door. He said he was grabbed on the shoulder by Mr Bowdfen, so he hit him. He denied hitting Mr Genet. (Before Mr K. H. J. Headifen. S.M.) COMMUNITY WORK Stephen Frank Coward, aged 24, a labourer (Mr A. K. Grant), was ordered to do 150 hours community work when he appeared for sentence on two charges. He was also placed on probation for 18 months. He had earlier pleaded guilty to charges of receiving an amplifier and burgling a house. UNLAWFUL ENTRY Alan Mawer, aged 17, unemployed (Mr R. J. Murfitt), was sentenced. to four months periodic detention when he appeared for sentence on a charge of unlawfully entering a house. He had previously been convicted on the charge.