Magistrate's Court Handcuffed escaper admits fourth offence

Press, 1 December 1978, Page 4

Magistrate's Court Handcuffed escaper admits fourth offence

Bail of $lOOO was set after' an unemployed man aged 24 was convicted of escaping from lawful custody—the fourth such charge he has faced—by Mr J. S. Bisphan, S.M. in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Vivian Stephen White pleaded guilty to wilfully obstructing a constable in the execution of his duty, and to escaping from the, custody of the constable. I Both offences occurred on Wednesday. Sergeant M. P. Caldwell I •aid that the police had at-] tended a call to the Embassy; Hotel about 9 p.m. on Wednesday. A person was being, arrested when the defendant] had pushed the constable in the chest. The defendant had later been handcuffed and placed in the police vehicle, but when the police became involved in a fracas outside the hotel the handcuffed defendant made off. A search was made and he was apprehended in a nearby street soon after-! wards. White had told the police he had been upset at the arrest of one of his mates. The Magistrate said in convicting W’hite, that he noted the defendant had three previous charges of escaping from custody. White was remanded to December 7 for a probation report and sentence and was ordered to report daily to the police. DRUG CHARGES An unemployed man was remanded on bail of $750, with two sureties of $5OO, to, December 7 on four charges laid under the Misuse of Drugs Act. I No plea was entered by Paul Stephen Ludlow, aged 24. who was charged with; having in his possession cannabis leaf, eannfcbis] Seeds, amphetamines, and with cultivating cannabis. The alleged offences oc-; Curved on Wednesday. Sergeant Caldwell said a •substantia!” surety was •ought when bail was asked for on behalf of Ludlow. INDECENCY ADMITTED A student was remanded' en bail of $lOOO to December 7 for a probation report and sentence after his convic-

•'tion bn a charge of in11 decently assaulting another ; [male. i The student, who was i granted interim suppression , of his name, had admitted i the offence which occurred in a hostel in Christchurch i on November 23. ’ Counsel (Mr M. J. Glue) i said although his client had , problems he was a person of ■considerably ability. What had happened had been “a personal tragedy” for him. , DRUG CULTIVATED 1 Craig Gordon Wilson, aged'

20, unemployed. was con- ■ victed and fined $75 on a charge of cultivating cannai bis. Sergeant R. H. Prouting I said that when the police I searched the defendant’s address yesterday morning they had found 28 cannabis plants growing in the back garden. In explanation Wilson had told the police he had 'grown them because cannaj bis was becoming too expensive to buy. The plants 'were for his own use.