Bookmaker’s risk proves expensive

Press, 20 July 1977, Page 4

Bookmaker’s risk proves expensive

! A 37-year-old rubber c Worker was convicted and' fined $4OO by Mr N. L. Bradford, S.M.. when he appeared 1 in the Magistrate’s Court I yesterday charged with carrying on the business iof I a bookmaker. James Hynd Williams ; pleaded 1 guilty to the charge. Sergeant A. R. Bleakley said thatt the police executed la Gaming Act warrant at the defendart’s Christchurch ad-i dress on July 2. When the police went ini side the defendant was ap-! ; prehended running down the i halfway to the bathroom. Calculators, a transistor) ; radio, and racing books were pound in the house. I A further search revealed ■that the defendant had • carried on the business of (bookmaker for some time, i Sergeant Bleakley said. He said that during the time the police were at the address, five telephone calls iwiere received from persons

(seeking to place bets. ' To the Magistrate, the de-1 ■ fendant said that he was only an agent and not a principal. In fining the defendant, the Magistrate said that persons working as bookmakers knew the risks they ran. (Before Mr K. W. Frampton,: S.M.) PRISON FOR MOTORIST A 24-year-old carpenter) who had driven a car which j I had collided with a motor-i i cycle, killing the rider, was [ sentenced to nine months im!prisonment by the MagisItrate. | Norman Francis Mcßae) had earlier been convicted by the Magistrate on charges of the careless use of a motor vehicle causing death while under the influence of drink, failing to stop after an accident, failing to render assistance, and failing to ascertain injury. The youth killed in the accident was Lawrence John

Spademan, aged 18. A 15-year-old pillion passenger, Dale Louise Martini, suffered a broken leg and shoulder. The collision occurred at the intersection of Cashel Street and Fitzgerald Avenue about 10.30 p.m. on January 14. The Magist rate said that he was satisfied from the evidence that the defendant had driven along Fitzgerald Avenue at a speed in excess of the limit. He concluded that either the defendant had travelled so fast that he had been unable to stop at the red light, or that, he had not seen the light. The Magistrate said that he was also conscious of the fact that the defendant had consumed a considerable amount of alcohol beforehand.

In addition to the term of imprisonment, the Magistrate disqualified Mcßae from holding or obtaining a driving licence for three years.