'Undercover' cons de facto out of $3400

Press, 4 August 1977, Page 7

'Undercover' cons de facto out of $3400

I Supreme Court * I

A man who called himself an undercover policeman, working in the drug scene falsely obtained $3400 from the woman, with whom he was living, Mr Justice Casey and a jury were told in the Supreme Court yesterday. The jury found Charles Erina Pakai, aged 36. guilty on three charges of false pretence. As well. he pleaded guilty to one charge of false pretence. His Honour remanded him in custody .o August 11 for sentence.

Pakai pleaded not guilt} to charges of obtaining $BOO, i $2OOO and S6OO from Alison | Kura Wilkie by falsely rep-i resenting that he was a police officer due to receive, a substantial salary payment; that Christopher and Pamela Thompson (his "adoptive parents”) would give him the money to make repayment, and by saying that he would repay the money from business takings.

He pleaded guilty to a charge of obtaining a car from Sydenham Park Car Sales, Ltd, with a valueless cheque for $2495. Mr G. K. Panckhurst appeared for the Crown, and Mr D. C. Fitzgibbon for Pakai.

Opening the Crown case. Mr Panckhurst said that Pakai met Mrs Wilkie at the New City Hotel in February, and told her about his business interest m the Universal Protection Agency, Ltd. Mrs Wilkie lived in Ashburton and they formed a de facto relation-

■ship, although Pakai worked in Christchurch. Towards the end of February, Pakai told Mrs Wilkie that he needed about $lOOO. and next day took her to her bank, where she withdrew $BOO from her savings account and gave it to him.

Pakai had said that he was an undercover agent, acting in the drug field, and w as due for a substantial salary payment. He mentioned Detective Donald Norman Stewart, who would give evidence that Pakai had never been a policeman. Early in March, Pakai told Mrs Wilkie that the cheque accounts both in his own name and that of the protection agency were overdrawn, and that he needed more money. She said she would get the money from her father.

The two of them went to see her father at an old persons’ home, and Pakai later saw him on his own. A cheque was written for $2OOO and Mrs Wilkie endorsed it so that it could be paid into one of Pakai’s accounts.

Pakai told Mrs Wilkie that he would be able to get the money to repay her by telephoning his parents, named Thompson, in Wellington — but he had to have the money urgently. Evidence would be given by Mr Thompson that he was not Pakai’s parent, and that he would never pay him a large sum of money, Mr Panckhurst said. In March, after Detective Sergeant James Millar, of

Ashburton, had warned Pakai to stop writing cheques on his accounts which were overdrawn, Pakai asked Mrs Wilkie for more money. She went to her sister and got her to withdraw $6OO from her sayings accounts. Pakai said that this would be repaid from his business takings. By a series of false representations Pakai had got $3400 from Mrs Wilkie over a short period, said Mr Panckhurst.

Mrs Wilkie, aged 21, a hospital kitchenhand, said t t Pakai told her that he was an undercover agent in the drug squad, and w'as due for a large salary payment. He needed $lOOO to clear up business with his agency. Because he had made her a director of the company she thought she should put money in.

To Mr Fitzgibbon, Mrs Wilkie said that Pakai had told her that he was a part owner of Maori land in the North Island, and had given her a letter to the effect tha’ :f his business failed he would give her the proceeds from the sale of that land. She was led to believe, however, that she would get 50 per cent of the profit from the business.

Pakai said in evidence that he had taken over the Universal Protection Agency ip February. He had worked as a personal bodyguard for show people, and had been a bodyguard for the tour of the American soul singer, Bobby Warren.

He had never been a member of the police and he had never claimed to be, nor had he alleged that the police owed him a substantial sum. His company which had good long-term prospects, had also contracted bands to hotels and tours.

Pakai said that the Thompsons had treated him like a son, and he regarded them as his adopted parents. They often referred to him as their sunburnt Irish son. When he borrowed the money from Mrs Wilkie he believed that he could repay it, he said. If he had been paid what he had been ■owed, he would not be in debt. He had twice supplied information to the police.

In his final address to the jury, Mr Fitzgibbon said that Pakai had denied on oath ever claiming to be an undercover constable, but he did allege that he had done undercover work. It was easy for Mrs Wilkie to exaggerate what he said “after the crunch came.” Mrs Wilkie had lent Pakai money knowing the state of his business; she had gone into it "with her eyes open.” If things had gone right with the business, and it had flourished. Paka' would not be in Court because he would have repaid the money from the profits.

The Crown had failed to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt and Pakai was entitled to be acquitted on all charges, said counsel.