Dud cheques buy thousands of dollars of comfort

Press, 4 August 1977, Page 7

Dud cheques buy thousands of dollars of comfort

Magistrate's Court |

A woman aged 21 was remanded to August 17 when she appeared in the Magis- ’ rate’s Court yesterday on 14 charges of false pretence — involving more than $3470. She did not plead to. the charges, which mainly involved obtaining electrical equipment, cassette players, groceries, air travel and clothing from Christchurch stores by using false cheques. ‘These charges are not chicken-feed — to use a colloquial expression," said Mr B. A. Palmer, S.M., granting the defendant bail of $750, with a $750 surety and daily reporting clause. He suppressed the woman’s name in the interim after hearing medical evidence from counsel. DETONATORS AT HOME

An opossum hunter was convicted and fined $l4O for being in possession of six detonators, and fined $3OO for having cannabis in his possession.

Euan Douglas Lyall, aged 27, pleaded guilty to both ; charges. Sergeant J. C. Rowe said j that about 12.45 a.m. on ' July 11. the police stopped l the accused while he was 1

driving along Kilmore Street. During questioning, a small plastic bag was seen to fall into the gutter. It contained half a stick of cannabis. A search of the vehicle revealed 20 more plastic bags each containing cannabis; weighing 20.1 grams in all. With his consent, the police then searched Lyall’s home where the six detonators were found. Sergeant Rowe and Lyall had nothing to say in explanation other than “it was a fair catch.” Mr G. R. Lascelles, for Lyall, said his client was an ■ opossum hunter, and that in the course of working on ■ farms the detonators were • sometimes used to remove tree stumps and the like.

His client had had them for a long time. Counsel submitted that the amount of cannabis was not big, and there was nothing sinister about his client’s possession of it. It was not intended for sale, but for his own use.

The Magistrate said he was concerned that Lyall should be in possession of six detonators illegally, even though he was prepared to accept the reason he had them. Detonators were a source of

danger, and there was need for their stringent control. FREQUENTING TOILETS A man who was charged with frequenting a public place in Manchester Street with felonious intent was fined $2OO by the Magistrate, who also refused to suppress his name.

Kevin Warren Tapley-Bell, aged 21, a head waiter, pleaded guilty to the charge, although his counsel (Mr G. R. Lascelles) submitted that nothing untoward had occurred other than a meeting with another man. and a discussion. He failed to see how one visit could be construed as “frequently," said counsel. Sergeant M. P. Caldwell said about 11.20 p.m. on July 17 the defendant had been seen entering a public toilet in Armagh Street. Because of his manner he was kept under observation by the police. Another man was seen to i enter the toilet and after he left the defendant was ap-

prehended. He explained that he was a homosexual and had gone there hoping for a pick-up. The other man had

asked him to go back to his hotel with him, he said.

The Magistrate said there had been sufficient movement around the toilets to suggest frequency. Added to this the defendant had pleaded guilty to the charge, regardless of what counsel

had tried to submit. The defendant had admitted being a homosexual, and had been at the toilets hoping to make a liaison, so he

was not prepared to suppress his name.

(Before Mr F. G. Paterson. S.M.) IDLE AND DISORDERLY It was not an occasion for a penalty other than that the defendant be released on 12 months probation concurrent with her existing term,_ the Magistrate told

Kim Christine Prangnell. Last week, Prangnell pleaded guilty to being idle and disorderly. She had only 12c in her possession when found in a flat with seven other young people.

Counsel said that the police had painted a grim picture about the defendant, who was only visiting the flat, at the time. Prangnell was back living with her parents, and had found a job. Considering the publicity she had received, she deserved to be discharged without conviction.

The Magistrate said there was no doubt that the defendant had had a long period of unemployment, and some questionable associates, although it had not been proved she had been involved in any serious criminal activities. “This type of charge is more in the ‘cry for help’ class, and from the sound of it since the charge things have started to come right for you,” he said. FALSE PRETENCES A young insurance representative who had pleaded guilty to 52 charges of credit by fraud, and false pretence was senteced to periodic detention for five months and put on probation for 17 months.

Peter George Hoffman, aged 19, committed the offences between April 12 and June 12.

He had issued cheques with insufficient funds to

cover them. The total value of goods and services obtained was $ll2O, for which restitution was sought. Mr M. Gibson, for Hoffman, said he could offer little by way of explanation.

However. Hoffman’s sister had loaned him the $ll2O to cover the restitution. The Magistrate said the “burst of offending” seemed

to some extent out of character.