MAGISTRATE’S COURT Seaman caught with 63 bottles of liquor

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33933, 28 August 1975, Page 7

MAGISTRATE’S COURT Seaman caught with 63 bottles of liquor

A Dutch seaman who attempted to smuggle liquor worth 8400 into New Zealand at Lyttelton on August 22 was convicted and fined S2OO when he pleaded guilty in the Christchurch Magistrate's Court yesterday to a charge of committing an offence under the Customs Act.

Egbert Anton Van Der Berg, aged 27. pleaded guilty _ to smuggling 58 bottles of whisky, three bottles of rum. and two bottles of gin with intent to defraud the Customs Department of revenue. j Mr F. G. Paterson. S.M was told that the defendant and another person were seen earning cartons down the gangway of a ship berthed at Lyttelton, about--11.15 p.m. on August 22 The cartons were loaded into a car which was later stopped and searched at the Lyttelton road tunnel toll plaza. Duty on the liquor would have amounted to $204, the Court was told. For the defendant. Mr. H. Buchanan said his client had a friend in Christchurch with whom he had made an arrangement to bring in some liquor on his next visit. The friend had instigated the management, Mr' Buchanan said. The Magistrate told the defendant that it had been an expensive gamble which had not paid off. As the defendant’s ship was due to' leave soon, he ordered that, the fine be paid immediately, ! BROKE INTO LIQUOR FIRM I A man who told the police that he was an alcoholic wasconvicted and remanded to Sep-! tember 3 for a probation report - and sentence on a charge of! breaking and entering a liquor firm William Henry Butcher, aged 58. a sickness beneficiary, pleaded guilty. Sergeant Coomber said the defendant had been seen outside the premises of Quill Morris. Ltd. in Dundas Street on August 17. He had a coat covering one of the windows which he then smashed with his fist. The police caught him inside passing bottles of liquor through the broken window to a friend outside. The other man will appear on September 3 on three charges. CAR OFFENCES Alan Stanley Hobbs, aged 56, a pattern maker, Geoffrey Reginald Hobbs, aged 25, a spray

oainter, and Mervyn Jeffrey Tim- . in, a garage hand, aged 26. were 1 •ach fined $250 on charges of -eceiving a car and car parts ' when they appeared for sentence, ’ They had earlier pleaded guilty 1 1 •*c the charge, and been convicted. The defendants Timlin and ; Alan Stanley Hobbs were also ’ put on 18 and 12 months proba-:; tion respectively. Sergeant Boyle said t hat on,; July 4 a car valued at $3500 was ‘ stolen from an alley in Hereford Street, where it had been left; with the keys in the ignition. When interviewed by the police. Timlin said he was asked - bv a friend if he was interested' in caving S2OO for a stolen car : The defendant said he was interested but would first con*act an associate, sard Sergeant Bovle. Th** associate had agreed to •>ay *2OO for the engine, gearbox and "heels. The car was then 'ef» at Geoffrey Hobbs’s address. Concerning Geoffrey Hnbbs, Sergeant Boyle said the defendan 1 told the police that he knew the car was stolen. His father agreed to *ake the narts and the two of them removed the engine, gearbox and wheels, worth a total of $llOO. The car was removed from Geoff rev Hobbs's address two davc later. The defendant told the police that he had received no pay-' ment and had onlv wanted to! heln his father. Sergeant Bovle said the defen-’ [ dant Alan Hobbs had frankly .admitted the offence, saying he I ’•eluctantly **«reed to take the; oarts for $2OO. FALSE PRETENCE Hazel Margaret S'im. aged 18. i l a machinist. w r as convicted and! > remanded to September 3 fori probation report and sentence ’ on a charge of false pretence. LSh« pleaded guilty. Sergeant J. Coomber told the court that between 5.30 p.m. on August 7 and 5.30 am. on August “ 8 the premises of Brian Hep- ’ burn. Ltd. were broken into, and a cheque book and other pro■•perty stolen. The next day a cheque, drawn under the name .of the Brian ■ Hepburn Social Club, for $lOO 1 was cashed at a Christchurch 1 bank bv the defendant, he said. When questioned by police a •few days later, Sim said she had snent the monev. THEFT AS SERVANT ■ Graham Acheson Trotter, aged i 28. was released on probation for 12 months and ordered to jdo 150 hours community work i when he appeared for sentence I on a charge of theft as a servant. t He had pleaded guilty to stealing 14 cartons of confectionery valued at $43.93, and been convicted . The Court had previously - heard that the defendant had been employed as a driver by

A.B. Consolidated. Ltd. at the time of the offence. August 8. A complaint from a retailer was received by the company, saying they went 14 cartons short in their order. Mr G. G. Parry, for the de-i fendant, said the offence was' amateurish, and the defendant was bound in the long run. to' be detected. It would be veryi surprising if the defendant appeared in Court again. Mr Parry said. DRIVING CHARGE Warren Kevin Crome, aged 19. was convicted and fined $75 and disqualified from driving for six months on a charge of driving in a dangerous manner. He pleaded guilty. Sergeant J. Coomber said that on July 4. the defendant was travelling along Barbadoes Street when he overtook another car and then swerved suddenly to the right, causing the driver of the other car to pull over and hit the gutter. When apprehended by the police the defendant offered no explanation for the offence. FAILED TO REPORT Anthony Joseph Fitzgibbon, was convicted -and put on 12 months probation and ordered to do 20 hours community work, on a charge of failing to appear at the adult work centre. He pleaded guilty. (Before Mr S. B. Bergin. S.M.) BLOOD-ALCOHOL CHARGES The following penalties and disqualifications were imposed following convictions on charges of driving with an excessive blood-alcohol level All defendants pleaded guilty. Donald Arthur Cooper (212 mg was fined $2OO and disqualified from driving for 15 months; Norbert Bamford (162 mg 5175, disqualified 15 months; Martin Stephen Trantor (124 mg $lOO. disqualified nine months; Gordon Lewis Spriggs (192 mg $175. disqualified 12 months; Kenneth John McQuilkan (153 mg $lOO, disqualified 15 months; Christopher Bruce Perry (194 mg $l5O, disqualified 18 months; Peter John Clifford Thorn (141 mg $lOO, disqualified 15 months; Leonard Brown (275 mg $2OO, disqualified 18 months. REMANDED William Arthur Flavell (240 mg and John William Stevens (228 mg) were convicted on charges of driving with an excessive blood-alcohol level after pleading guilty They were remanded on bail to September 10 for probation officers’ reports and sentence. Martin John Fleming (212 mg) was convicted and remanded on bail to September 10 for a probation officer’s report, medical examination, and sentence. He pleaded guilty. REFUSED BLOOD SAMPLE Keith Dennis James Turner was convicted and sentenced to two months periodic detention and disqualified from driving for 18 months on a charge of refusing to give a blood sample. He had previously pleaded guilty.