‘Anaesthetised’ burglar sentenced

Press, 24 September 1980, Page 4

‘Anaesthetised’ burglar sentenced

Burglary was a serious offence and one that justified a substantial fine, said Judge Frampton , when be imposed a fine of $5OO on a man in the District Court yesterday.

Earlier Warwick Russell Jones, aged 34, a hairdresser, admitted and was convicted on a charge of burgling the Cashel Street premises of John McEwing, Ltd, early on September 7. Last week the Court heard that on hearing the police arrive, after the burglar alarm was activated, Jones had plunged from a firstfloor window and was found unconscious on the ground.

' He suffered head and arm injuries and received treatment in hospital. Counsel (Mr M. J. Glue) submitted that from a physical point of view his client had already been seriously punished. Jones had been unable to carry on with his work as a hairdresser and had no recollection of either breaking into or out of the Cashel Street premises. Mr Glue said his - client had been drinking earlier and under the circumstances it was perhaps fortunate that at the time he was as anaesthetised as he was.

The Judge said the use of alcohol was constantly blamed in court for a wide variety of offending.

Because it was advanced so often it was treated with a certain sceptism. In Jones’s case, he said,he was prepared to accept the excuse offered by Mr Glue. Many who used the excuse had no jobs, no assets and were often reconciled to regard prison as a second home, he said. But in the defendant’s case he had a substantial business, and substantial assets, said the Judge. In addition to the fine Jones was put on probation for 12 months. THEFF ALLEGED

Raymond David Marriott, aged 41, unemployed, was remanded on bail to September 30 on a charge of theft. It was alleged that between August and October, last year, at Auckland he stole sums of money, totalling $4OO, the property of Hugh’ Reid Gould. No plea was entered. Marriott was ordered to report daily to the police. ESCAPER ! A man who escaped from a work party at Paparua Prison because he was missing his girl-friend had three months added to his existing sentence. I

Matthew Alister Winiata, aged 24, admitted the offence and also stealing 72

cents from a milk bottle. Both offences took place on September 1. Counsel (Mr J. S.’ Hall) said it had been an impulse escape without any pre-plan-ning. RECEIVED RINGS A solo mother who ad--mitted receiving two diamond rings, worth $1550,1 had later sold them for $l5O i because, she said, she need-1 ed money for food, said Detective Sergeant Wright. Pauline Hiano Tawha, aged 23, who committed the offence last month, was convicted and remanded on bail to October 7 for a probation report and sentence.

Detective Sergeant Wright said the rings had been stolen in a house burglary. Both rings had since been recovered.

COMMUNITY WORK Craig Andrew Rhodes, aged IS, a trainee accountant, was put on probation for 12 months and ordered to undertake 80 hours of community work when he appeared for sentence on a charge of causing bodily injury by carelessly using a car in Halswell Road. Last week, the prosecuting officer said Rhodes (Mr K. I. Jones), who admitted the offence, had fallen asleep while driving and his vehicle had struck a power pole. As a result he had suffered head injuries while his passenger, Bruce Albert Ninnno.l had received two broken I legs, a fractured pelvis and ’ internal injuries. CAR OFFENCES A man, who took a carl from Christchurch, and then,!

; with a companion, drove it ,I to Nelson admitted four - j offences. 'I The defendant, Mark Paul i; Hooper, aged 20 (Mr P. N. f I Dyhrberg) was convicted !; and remanded to September ’; 30 for sentence on charges •! of unlawfully taking a car 11 valued at $4500, belonging to • Brett Justin Heeney, the ! I theft of a cassette ’ player •' and speakers valued at $250 “ j from the car, having a class C-controlled drug, cannabis : I leaf, in his possession at Nel- • son, and a separate charge Ii of breaking and entering a • i house in Christchurch. ■| Sergeant Wright said the i car. after being driven to ; Nelson. was abandoned. I Damage to the vehicle j amounted to $lOOO, including j destruction of the fibreglass I roof.