Magistrate's Court Doorman stabbed in leg

Press, 16 February 1980, Page 11

Magistrate's Court Doorman stabbed in leg

A young man, who carried a knife in his sock, was convicted in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday of two offences arising from an incident outside the Adam’s Apple Night Club, in which a doorman suffered a minor stab wound in a leg. The defendant,-Paul John Findlay, had denied charges of having an offensive weapon, a knife, in Lichfield Street, and assaulting Richard Howes with intent to injure him. Convicting the defendant, Mr B. A. Palmer, S.M., said he was satisfied the defendant carried a knife to use it, if an occasion arose which he considered justified its use. He elected to use the knife after being refused admittance to the night club. The defendant was remanded on bail to February 22 for a probation report and sentence. Mr K. J. Osborn appeared for the defendant, and Sergeant J. Chadderton prosecuted. The incident ' occurred about 2 a.m. on December 21 after the defendant and four others were refused admission to the night club. An argument developed between the defendant and Mr Howes, the doorman. Evidence was given that the defendant armed himself with a knife and Mr Howes took a piece of timber and attempted to disarm him. The defendant, in evidence, said the doorman did not specify why he was refusing the defendant’s group admission. It was still 45 minutes before the advertised closing time. I

d He said he and the doors man became abusive, and s the doorman got heated and • punched him in the head. The doorman then took s the piece of wood and began i swinging it at him. r The defendant said he then took the knife out of n his sock “for protection.” s The Magistrate said he res jected the defendant’s exi planation that he used the - knife for self-defence, and - held that the defendant intended to use it aggressively if required. 1 (Before Mr J. S. Bisphan, - S.M.) ■ BORSTAL TERM The Magistrate rejected a 3 iplea by counsel for Tony , Andrew Faulkner, aged 18, j to be given a prison sentence lather than Borstal. The defendant appeared ,'for sentence on two charges [. of burglary and one of theft, and also admitted a further j charge of escaping from the Christchurch Prison while on remand, on February 10. He was sentenced to Bor.l stal training for all offences. r His counsel (Mr C. D. I Eason) said the defendant ‘ sought a prison term so that he would be able to see his I girlf-friend and his family, j from whom he would be cut off in Borstal. DEPOSITIONS ’ Maurice Bruce Rowlands, ; aged 23, unemployed, was 1 remanded on bail to April 10 for the taking of depositions ■ on two charges of assault i I and one of possessing an of- ■ tensive weapon. i Rowlands is charged with I i assaulting Brent Thomas McFadden, Craig Seddon ' I Kelly, with intent to injure, i

and with unlawfully possessI ing a pocket knife. i The alleged offences were said to have occurred on ; January 25. DRUG OFFENCES A driver who admitted being in possession of LSD, a class A controlled drug, and cannabis, was convicted and remanded to February. 22 for a probation report and sentence. The defendant, Ralph Sydney Hazelton, aged 25, was granted bail of $lOOO together with a surety of the same amount. I Sergeant W. J. McCormick I said at 1 a.m. on February 7 police were called to a city! tavern where the defendant! was found lying in a car in! a semi-conscious state. During a search of his clothing for some identification the drugs were found. 15 OFFENCES An unemployed shearer., aged 21, convicted of 14. charges of false pretence,! involving $2700, and one of! theft, was remanded in custody to February 22 for a! probation report and sentence. Bert William Johnston, who pleaded guilty to the charges, had obtained a car,' petrol, cash, clothing, shearing gear, a ferry ticket and accommodation, said Ser-; geant McCormick. ■ He said that Johnston,! while working a Tolaga Bay, had stolen two cheque books and a driver’s licence. Using the stolen cheques he had bought a car, had driven from Gisborne to Wellington, and had then toured the South Island.