Prison for assault

Press, 29 March 1980, Page 4

Prison for assault

A carpenter, who on seeing scars on a woman’s neck, had jabbed her sleeping. de facto husband about the’head with a knife, was sent to prison for six months when he appeared for sentence before. M.r B. A. Pa.lm?r, S;.M.‘, ,’i.n. the, Magis-. irate’s Court yesterday. . Tui . Richard Thompson, aged last..week admitted and . (was convicted on a charge that on February 6 with intent to injure he had assaulted Maurice John O’Brien.

The Magistrate had been told by the police prosecutor that O’Brien’s wounds had required five stitches..

In.: explanation Thompson had told the police Ije had been upset, 'at what he thought, were knife scars pn the woman’s neckjwhich the woman had told, him had been done by O’Brien.

Thompson had said he had only intended to scare O’Brien. ... ■ .

Counsel/<Mh.C. D. Eason); said his fclierit, disagreed with the police' sumipa.ry;.| and said he had jabbed O’Brien while h£ \vas; 'asleep. He ii ' v?as. (not an attack on helpless man. . Mr Eason .Said Jte bad; been instructed• that O'Brien! had only been dozing and; that words .were exchanged [ between his'.; client' . and O'Brien prior to the jabbing of the knife about, O’Brien’s head. - :’( '''f

Thompson had "'acted out of character and Mr Eason said drink had played a significant part 'in- what had happened. The Magistral e said the police summary of facts and the defendant’s instructions to his counsel differed. He said there was a world of difference between jabbing a sleeping man a knife and with saying there had- been an exchange of words and a struggle during which; O’Brien had been cut. ...

The Magistrate, however, said he accepted that the assault was ' on the basis Thompson'had outlined to hi's counsel.

“Whether this is the truth] or not 1 simply don’t know,”; he said. ■; The Magistrate said the' defendant had a predisposition , for violence under certain circumstances and that the present offence IwaS his fourth ( for serious; assault’in a'period of five; vears. .- ' COMMUNITY WORK . I A fisheries worker, aged: 17, who threatened to Molo-' tov-bomb • the house of -‘a! police officer’s father, was placed on probation for 181 months and ordered to carry out 100 hours of. community work. . \ The Magistrate told Kevin Gary Burns ; that he had impressed him as an’“arrogant young man -who was too big for his bopts.’-Tj ’■•.? ■ Last week Burns pleaded (guilty' and-, wbs Convicted of ;a. charge -that- with intent; to (annoy Brian (Barry he threat-1 iened dajnage- to a house ,in ■Colombo. Street,; unlawfully interfered; ( with ■ a . $9OOO Ip.olice car, and unlawfully 'got into an'othgr.vehicle. • I -.The place on March 13. .‘-’■■■;-vb;. ■ '.When caught interfering w-ith the polie’e car by the constable's father Burns had threatened to return and Molotov-bomb his house. He 'told- the police that he made I the threat because he was (scared and wanted to get a wav. The interference with the police car had been considered “a challenge” by the) defendant, the Magistrate had been told. Because of the interference with two cars the Magistrate disqualified: Burns from holding or ob-j Ita'ining a driver’s licence for! nine months. • Any repetition of this type (of offending could result, in i the defendant spending a period of time at a detention centre, the Magistrate warned. RECEIVING OFFENCE '

A' man . who admitted a charge of receiving a $lOOO welding plant and an electric grinder, valued at $BO was convicted and remanded to April 11. for a probation report and sentence.

Barry Lindsay Mackie,! aged 20, a labourer, also admitted and was convicted on a charge of stealing a •51700 motor-cycle, and a pair of bolt cutters, tongs and vice grips, to a total value of $65. Sergeant R. H. Fronting said that on February 9 the complainant reported that his motor-cycle had been taken from the driveway of his Addington address. A few days later the defendant was spoken to by the police. Mackie admitted having pushed the machine to his own address.

In explanation he had said he wanted the machine for parts.

Sergeant Prouting said some of the parts, stripped from the machine, had been recovered, but compensation of $l4OO for those, which had not. was sought. Mackie was allowed bail of $BOO with an approved suretv of the same amount. DEPOSITIONS

A man facing a charge of assaulting a woman with intent to commit rane was remanded in custody to May 29 for the taking of depositions. ,

He Is Bruce Gregory Thompson, aged 23. unemployed, who is alleged to have committed the offence on March 24. Counsel (Mr W. G. G. A. Young) sought interim suppression of his client’s name, but this was refused by the Magistrate. FURTHER REMAND

I Doreen Myrtle Fraser, i aged 39. a beneficiary was 'further remanded to April 3 lon three charges laid under ‘the Misuse of Drugs Act. She is charged with possessing cannabis for supply, permitting premises in Olliviers Road to be used for the purpose of the commission of an offence against the Misuse of Drugs Act, and of knowingly permitting a car to be used for the I same purpose. The alleged offences took I place'on March 13. I No pleas were entered and I Fraser was allowed a continI nation of her bail of $lOOO. ,