Magistrate's Court Opawa fight sequel

Press, 16 August 1978, Page 7

Magistrate's Court Opawa fight sequel

Three men were remanded in custody, and a fourtt allowed bail of $6OO, wher they appeared before Mr F G. Paterson, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterdaj on wounding charges aftei a brawl involving 10 persons at a house in Opawa early or Saturday morning, i Lawrence Allen Philip McKenzie, aged 24, unemployed; Graham Bruce McKenzie, aged 28, also unemployed; and Robert Bruce Clark, aged 25, a cook, elected trial by jury and were remanded in custody to August 31 for depositions. Bail was sought by their counsel (Mr D. C. Fitzgibbon), but was opposed by Sergeant M. P, Caldwell. Brian Archibald Smith, aged 20, a service agent, was remanded on bail to August 22. No plea was entered. Lawrence McKenzie was charged with wounding and assaulting Bruce Hobbs; Graham McKenzie that with intent to injure he wounded Hobbs; and Clark with wounding Hobbs and assaulting David Clarence Hunt. The charge against Smith was that with reckless disregard for the safety of others he wounded Lawrence McKenzie. When the men first appeared in Court on Saturday, the police said that the

wounding charges laidi against three of the men i were “extremely serious.” As a result of the brawl in York Street, Opawa, about 2 a.m. on Saturday, one person was treated for knife wounds and two for head injuries. RECEIVING CHARGE A man charged with receiving $570 worth of clothing at Waiau was remanded on bail of $5OO to August 22 to enable him to get legal advice. Neville Grahame Boag, aged 31, a foreman, entered no plea. The property he is alleged to have received belonged to the Bibbi Clothing Store, in Aikmans Road, Christchurch. No plea was entered. DRUG CHARGES Jeffrey Graeme Weston, aged 22, an artist, was remanded in custody to August 18 on three drug charges. Weston appeared on charges relating to the possession for supply of cannabis, possession for sale of cannabis, and manufacturing cannabis oil. The alleged offences occurred in June and August. No plea was entered. (Before Mr I. Hay, S.M.) ROGUE AND VAGABOND Jeffrey William Leech, aged 18, a lifter, who appeared

on a charge of “being a rogue and a vagabond” in that being a suspected person he had frequented the shelter near the Armagh Street gates of North Hagley Park with felonious intent," was convicted and remanded to August 18 for sentence. Leech pleaded not guiltv to | the offence, which occurred on July 6. Two sisters, one aged 121 and another aged 11, told! their mother about having seen the defendant several times at a shelter shed in the park. The younger girl saw the man expose his genitals. The mother contacted the police. Constable X. F. Crew later went to the area and watched the defendant for 10 minutes. He was observed to zip up his overalls and appeared excited and upset when apprehended. He told witness he was repairing his bicycle, then pushed the bicycle at him, and ran off. He was caught soon after.) The Magistrate said there had been times in the two months up to July 6 when Leech had finished work sarly, and that he could have been in the park when the ’iris were cycling from school. There was no doubt in his hind, he said, that the two| ?irls were truthful.