Servicemen fined $600

Press, 15 June 1979, Page 11

Servicemen fined $600

Two American servicemen, who appeared in the Magistrate’s Court on drug charges yesterday, were convicted by Mr P. J. McAloon, S.M., and fined a total of $6OO.

Ronald Owen Carr, aged 22, a radio man, admitted having cultivated cannabis, and possessing cannabis seeds.

Andrew Richard Lust, aged 26. also a radio man, pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis.

Carr was fined $2OO on each charge. The Magistrate ordered that the fine be paid within seven days, in default of which the defendant would spend 14 days in prison. Lust was fined $2OO.

Sergeant A. M. Andrews said on April 9 the drug squad executed — search warrant at Carr’s address.

There they found four small cannabis plants and 28 cannabis seeds.

Carr had told the police he had bought some cannabis from which the seeds had been taken. Some of these he had thrown outside, but on discovering they were growing he had taken them inside.

He also admitted having earlier purchased 50 sticks of cannabis for $650 from a person at Sumner.

Counsel (Mr C. M. Marshall) said the defendant had been posted to New Zealand for 38 months of which he had completed two-thirds. As a result of the charges brought against him Carr had been re-assigned back to the United States and there was a likelihood that he would have to attend a drug rehabilitation centre in San Francisco before being posted to sea duty, said Mr Marshall. Of Lust, Sergeant Andrews said a search by drug squad members had resulted in a stick of cannabis having been found at his address.

Sergeant Andrews said it was one of 33 sticks for which Carr had paid $l7 each to another serviceman.

Counsel (Mr P. J. Egder) shid his client would also be returning to the United States soon, where he would undergo treatment at a drug rehabilitation centre before being re-assigned elsewhere. THEFT ALLEGED An unemployed man has denied a charge of stealing $312, the property of the E.M.I. Record Shop, on June 1. Tana Michael Panapa, aged 22, was remanded to August 13 for a defended hearing.

He was granted bail of $BOO. PERIODIC DETENTION

A youth, aged 17, was sentenced to three months’ residential periodic detention, and placed on probation for a year, on a charge of breaking into the premises of the Southern Ballet Theatre, Worcester Street, on May 30.

The Magistrate suppressed his name “for the sake of his mother’s health.”

The defendant appeared for sentence after being convicted of the burglary last week.

He also appeared for sentence on charges of unlawfully discharging a .22 rifle, and having unlawful possession of the rifle, at Whisky Creek on January 20. He was convicted and discharged for these offences. The police statement of facts was that the defendant had entered the theatre and had gone through several coat pockets looking for money, and had tried on a jacket, but was disturbed by a member of the ballet company and apprehended. Counsel (Mr L. C. Dann), sought a “counselling” sentence for the burglary, which he said had been a “bungled” effort.

It was an amateurish, unplanned offence committed when the defendant had been attracted into the building by the bright lights “to see what was going on.” He had fired at a tractor in a remote area after thinking it was abandoned.

$4OO FINE Andrew Donald Farr, aged 27, a linotype operator, was fined $4OO on charges arising from what the Magistrate described as an “atrocious piece of driving.” The defendant appeared for sentence on charges of driving a motor-cycle in Cranford Street and various other streets on April 6 in a manner which was or might have been dangerous to the public, and of failing to stop when signalled to do so by a constable in uniform, on the Main North Road on April 6. He was fined $4OO on the first charge and his driving licence was cancelled for nine months. He was convicted and discharged for failing to stop. The Magistrate said the summary of facts in the case was “absolutely frightening.” The defendant had travelled at speeds up to 140 km/h, crossed through red lights, and compulsory stops, and travelled on the wrong side of streets.

The Magistrate said it was a wonder somebody was not hurt during the defendant’s “mad scramble.” He had failed completely in his obligations to other road users. Counsel (Mr I. J. D. Hall) submitted that the offences had been committed late at night, and no other traffic users had been “put in peril” by his driving. The defendant had panicked when pursued by police and got further involved as the chase progressed. Mr Hall had sought a financial penalty.