Borstal for two jail escapers

Press, 23 February 1978, Page 7

Borstal for two jail escapers

Two young men who’ escaped from Addington; Prison “because they were ; both sick of the place” were ! sentenced to borstal training < by Mr F. G. Paterson, S.M., ’ in the Magistrate’s Court [ 1 yesterday. ; 1 Sergeant B. N. Thompson ii said about 3.30 p.m. on Feb-!

■ruary 14 the two defendants, i Mark Richard Whittaker, aged 17, and Grant Sidney Bradley, aged 18, were in the exercise ard at the prison when they ran off, scaled a temporary retaining wall and the main wall and dropped into private property outside. Both defendants were

,! found a short time after-1 .[wards by prison officers in| ; Parlane Street. - Sergeant Thompson said i Bradley was remanded in t custody at Addington on 1 December 23 for sentencing I on a charge of aggravated . robbery. Whittaker was also j remanded in the prison on

i December 23 on a charge of [assault with intent to rob.

Both men appeared in the Supreme Court yesterday morning where on the charge of aggravated robbery they were each sentenced to Borstal training by Mr Justice Casey, the Court was told. Whittaker appeared in the Magistrate’s Court on crutches. It was explained that in scaling the exterior wall of the prison he had severely fractured his leg when dropping over the other side. The Magistrate told both youths that just because they had a Borstal sentence hanging over them they appeared to think they could do anything. This was not true as the length of stay depended on the Borstal parole board to which magistrates made their reports. M.O.T. BIKE CHARGE On a charge of attempting to unlawfully take a 1976 model 500 cc motor cycle, valued at $3300, the property of the Ministry of Transport, Mark Joseph Woodfield, aged 18, was remanded without plea to March 1. The alleged offence was committed on Tuesday in Christchurch. ROBBERY CHARGE No pleas were entered by two 17-year-old youths who appeared jointly charged with robbing a man of $lO in cash, a wristlet watch valued at $4O, and a leather jacket valued at $250. They were Patrick John Murray, and Michael John Patrick Woodley, both unemployed. who are alleged to have committed the offence on February 16. Both were remanded in custody to March 1. RECEIVING CHARGE Bail of $lOOO was set when a 22-year-old man, unemployed, appeared on a charge of receiving 210 ingots of aluminium, valued at $2BOO, the property of Alltrans, Ltd. Thomas John Paul Keenahan was remanded without plea to March 1. The alleged offence occurred on or about December 1. BURGLARY ALLEGED i Bail was strongly opposed :by the police when two men charged with breaking and entering a Fendalton Road chemists shop early yesterday appeared in the dock. No pleas were entered by Robert Wayne Patterson, aged 23, unemployed, and Michael Glynn Jones, aged 19, a metal Spinner. i Both men were remanded ito March 1.