Jail for dishonesty

Press, 8 February 1980, Page 7

Jail for dishonesty

Prison terms totalling six months were imposed on Vaughan Stuart Thomas, aged 28, a truck driver (Mr E. T. Higgins) when he appeared for sentence on 13 charges of dishonesty, before Mr J. S. i Bisphan, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday. The defendant had been ' convicted of the offences which comprised nine of us- ' ing savings bank withdrawal slips on bank cheques, with 1 intent to defraud, to obtain pecuniary advantage; three 1 of false pretences by the issue of cheques to obtain pet- 1 rol, shoes and tools; and one 1 of obtaining credit by fraud.

The total value of money and goods involved in the offences was $1590. Mr Higgins submitted, in mitigation of sentence, that the defendant’s background helped to explain why he offended the way he did. He said the defendant needed help in handling his financial affairs. He asked for a penalty short of imprisonment, and suggested probation with periodic detention. The Magistrate said the public’s “safety” was a matter of importance and they

had to be considered in regard to the defendant’s offending. . The defendant said a prison term would mean he would lose his wife and cmldren. The Magistrate said the defendant should have thought of this “in the early 19705.” Sentences imposed for past offences had had no effect. A ., year’s imprisonment could be warranted but he was prepared to consider a moderate term. The prison terms ranged from a month to six months, all to be served concurrently. PASSBOOK OFFENCES

When Neil Grenville Running tried to withdraw money from another person’s savings account, using a stolen passbook and stolen driver’s licence for identification, he was unable to give the account holder’s age, and ran from the bank, said Sergeant K. J. Humdell. The defendant, aged 20, pleaded guilty to three offences committed last October. They were of receiving a stolen Canterbury Savings Bank passbook and driver’s licence; forging a C.S.B. withdrawal slip; and attempting to use the withdrawal slip with intent to defraud, to obtain a pecuniary advantage. He was convicted on all charges and remanded on bail to February 14 for sentence. He was also remanded to April 8, on bail, on a charge of burglary of a house, which he has denied. He was represented by Mr N. P. Chapman. Sergeant Hurndell said that on October 19 the defendant was given the passbook and driver’s licence by a friend. They had been stolen in a house burglary.

The defendant went to a C.S.B. branch and inquired about closing the account, and was given a withdrawal form.

He produced the stolen driver’s licence for identification but when the teller asked his age he said he could not remember.

Asked to accompany the teller to the office he ran from the bank, but was apprehended in a nearby car park. When questioned by police the defendant said he was deeply sorry he had got involved in the offences, Sergeant Hurndell said. (Before Mr P. M. Browne, S.M.) REMANDED

A photographer was remanded in custody to February 11 when he appeared before Mr P. M. Browne, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday on a charge of conspiring to import cannabis into New Zealand.

It is alleged that Ross Martin Bennie, aged 24, conspired with David Noel Ar-

gyle, Nigel Stephen Poysden and a person or persons unknown to import cannabis resin, a class B-controlled drug, into New Zealand. The offence is alleged to have occurred between January 1, 1978, and December 12, 1979, at Wellington and elsewhere in New Zealand.

The remand was sought to the Magistrate’s Court, Wellington. DRUG CHARGES

No pleas were entered by Ralph Sydney Hazelton, aged 25, a driver, on two charges of possessing drugs. Hazelton is charged with possessing LSD, a class A drug, and with the possession of cannabis yesterday. The remand in custody is until today.