Burglar sentenced

Press, 12 August 1980, Page 4

Burglar sentenced

A man convicted on a, charge of burglary and of I possessing an instrument! capable of being used to! commit burglary’ was put on probation for 12 months and] ordered to carry out 200: hours of community work when he appeared for sentence before Judge Fraser in the District Court yesterday. Damien John Severs, aged 18, a labourer, had earlier admitted breaking into a chemist’s shop, using a jemmy bar, from where about $2OO worth of drugs were taken. The offence occurred on July 21. When apprehended nearby Severs was found to be in possession of the drugs, the jemmy bar, and 12 keys — the latter he explained, in case he “got locked out of places.” Counsel (Mr P. R. McMenamin) said his client was not a person with any experience of burglary; what he had tried had been a “bungled job.”

u The drugs had been indisjcriminately taken and Severs! ,!had shown no discernment! i over their selection, he said. ! PERIODIC DETENTION A man, aged 19, who appeared for sentence on a (charge of possessing lysergide’(LSD) — a class A coni trolled drug — was ordered to undertake four months ot periodic detention. ■ In addition Martin Ellis, i unemployed, was put on probation for 12 months. i i Ellis last week admitted ; the offence which occurred • on July 26 after his vehicle was stopped by a police patrol in Tuam Street. i Ellis had told the police : that he had paid $4B for the, • eight tablets of LSD which; they had found in his wallet. ■ The drug was for his own use and he had wanted it because he had not tried LSD previously. . Ellis was not involved in drug ;use. or abuse, said counsel (Mr J. S.’ Halls). The defendant had taken no real ■ initiative in obtaining the drug. ‘ . —

, It was rather, that he ;had I succumbed to temptation when it had been offered him. '

In addition to periodic detention Ellis was put on pro, bation for 12 months. THREAT CHARGE

Graham Lyall Bush, aged 34, a labourer, was remanded on bail to August 18 on a charge of threatenin’ to kill a woman. “

No plea was entered to ;the alleged offence which' was said to have occurred on Sundav. FRAUD OFFENCES ■

A man, who pleaded guilty to four charges of fraud, was convicted and remanded on bail to August 18 : for a probation report and sentence.

The defendant who admitted passing four worthless cheques, to a total value of $250, was granted interim suppression of his name after a psychiatric report was.handed to the Bench. The offences were committed in August and September, last year.