Man fined $30 for headstone offence

Press, 13 August 1980, Page 4

Man fined $30 for headstone offence

A man who admitted a charge of wilfully damaging a grave headstone, was convicted and. fined $3O and ordered to pay compensation of the same amount when he appeared before Judge Fraser in the District Court yesterday. Sergeant M. P. Caldwell said that at 11.15 p.m. on August 8 the defendant, Roger William Busch, aged 31, a meat inspector, had been seen to kick a headstone on a grave while he was walking through a cemetery in Upper Riccarton.

Busch’s action had been seen by a taxi driver who reported the matter to the police. The defendant was caught nearby by a police patrol. In explanation, Busch, who was not legally represented, said he had earlier consumed some alcohol at a party and that he was out walking to sober up. He claimed he had not been aware of what he was doing. INJURY CHARGE

Anne Elizabeth Thomas, aged 26, an interior designer, who is charged with causing bodily injury, denied the alleged offences. Thomas (Mr P. B. H. Hall) was remanded at large to September 22 for a defended hearing.

It is alleged that by carelessly using a car in Springfield Road on May 21 she caused bodily injury to Maurice Patrick Brereton. BURGLARY CHARGES

No pleas were entered by three young men charged with breaking and entering the warehouse of Lion Breweries at the comer of St Asaph and Antigua Streets on Sunday. They are: lan Richard Blerkinsop, aged 18, Warick Douglas Goodson, aged 18, both students, and James Peter Leslie Taylor, aged 19, an apprentice mechanic. All three were remanded on bail of $750 to August 19. Terry Wayne Knowles, aged 18, was remanded without plea to August 19 on a charge of presenting a rifle at a woman .in circumstances likely to lead her to believe it was a firearm.

The alleged offence is said to have taken place on Monday. No plea was entered. EGGS CHARGE

An unemployed man, aged 33, denied a charge that he had stolen 30 dozen eggs, valued at $33.

Len Albert (Mr D, I. Jones) was remanded at large to September 8 for a defended' hearing.

He is alleged to have stolen the eggs, the property of the United Service Hotel, on July 1. DEPOSITIONS

Alan Crampton, aged 25, unemployed, who is charged with threatening to kill, presenting a firearm, and with the theft of a $l7OO motor-cycle, was remanded on bail to September 15 for the taking of depositions. Crampton (Mr D. I. Jones) faces a charge of threatening to kill Vivienne Beth Mitchell, and with presenting a .22 calibre rifle at Margaret Ann Weaver.

The alleged offences are said to have taken place bn August 2. The unrelated charge of stealing the motor-cycle was said to have occurred on June 25. '• BURGLARY CHARGES Tw’o young unemployed women facing three joint charges of burglary were remanded on bail of $750 each to August 18 without plea. The alleged offences were said to have been committed by Diane Iris Palermo, aged 17, and Maureen. Rosemary Peterson, aged 19, '’during July and August. Palermo faces an additional charge of burglary committed on June IQ.