Magistrate apologises to 'Pom-baited’ Scot

Press, 1 September 1977, Page 4

Magistrate apologises to ' Pom-baited’ Scot

A man charged with assaulting a workmate had been the victim of “Pombaiting” and had been taunted past his breaking point, the Magistrate’s Court was told yesterday. Jack Cook, a 43-year-old Scot, was discharged without conviction by Mr F. G. Paterson, S.M. The Magistrate also apologised for the behaviour of the complainant, “who probably got his just deserts.” The defendant had finally punched the complainant, his workmate, after he had been taunted and abused daily, for the last five months, counsel said. The complainant had required 11 stitches.

The offence was just a result of cumulative provocation and, although the defendant had immediately offered to resign, his employers would not hear of it, counsel said.

j The defendant presented a j letter of support from his employers to the Court. Counsel said the defendant was not a violent man—he had not hit another man since his National Service 25 years ago. The Magistrate said that although violence was no way to settle any problem, there was a limit to which any man could be taunted, and there must be a breaking point.

FORGERY OFFENCES More than $lOOO was obtained illegally from the Department of Social Welfare by a 22-year-old unemployed woman who presented forged social security sickness bene-

fit certificates to the department. Eliza Reriti pleaded guilty! and was convicted on the three charges. She was remanded to September 7 for sentence.

Senior-Sergeant W. J. Nicholl said that the defendant had been receiving a sickness benefit in 1976. In February this year she presented a certificate, forged by her co-offender, and received

$403.20 from the department. She presented false certificates again in April and June and claimed $llOB.BO. The defendant admitted the certificates were false when she was questioned on August 11, Senior-Sergeant Nicholl said.

Loma Williams, aged 28, a domestic purposes beneficiary, pleaded guilty to three charges of forging the social security sickness benefit certificates for Reriti.

Senior Sergeant Nicholl said that Williams had been approached by Reriti to help her. As a result she signed certificates with what was purported to be the signature of Reriti’s doctor. Williams did it only to help her friend, and denied she received any of the money from the benefits paid to Reriti. Williams was remanded to September 7, for a probation officer’s report and sentence. CAR BADGES An 18-year-old mechanic I was remanded without plea |to September 6 when he appeared on seven charges of theft. The mechanic, who was granted interim suppression of name is alleged to have stolen motorcar accessories worfh $538 from various Christchurch sales yards early in June. Included in the accessories were 54 car badges. FALSE PRETENCE An 18-year-old solo mother was remanded to September 7 without plea on six charges of false pretence and one of theft.

Robyn Carol McGrath was charged with obtaining groceries, liquor, and cash, to a value of more than $lOOO, and to stealing women’s clothing, shoes, and a handbag valued at $55. All the offences were committed in Christchurch.

(Before Mr J. S. Bisphan

S.M.) SIX MONTHS JAIL

People who commit burglaries must expect imprisonment, the Magistrate told Lloyd William George Levy when he sentenced him to six months’ imprisonment on three convictions of burglary.

He told the defendant that, as he had been sentenced leniently in the past for similar offences, his rehabilitation now had to take second place to the public interest. Levy’, aged 20, had been convicted on two charges of burgling houses on the West Coast in February and a charge of burgling the D.B. Hari Hari in July. Goods worth about $lOOO had been taken from the houses and $350 in cash was taken from the hotel.

He was also convicted and discharged on a charge of unlawfully taking a motor vehicle. His counsel, Mr D. C. Fitzgibbon, said that the defendant’s last offences were four years ago and, although he was now employed, he had not had a job at the time of the burglaries. Mr Fitzgibbon said that his client could pay about $7OO in compensation.