N.Z. trying to free man

Press, 10 February 1981, Page 6

N.Z. trying to free man

NZPA Singapore The New Zealand High Commission said yesterday that it was trying to secure the release of a young New Zealander jailed after he failed to pay a £498 fine for petty theft. Officials from the High Commission met Peter Hepry Roe, aged 23, a 'laboratory assistant, of Auckland, at a remand prison yesterday morning to discuss how the fine could be paid. A spokesman ’ for the High Commission refused to give any details, but said: “We are pursuing several avenues suggested by Roe' to obtain money from home and we hope that he could be freed within the next few days. In

the meantime eyeiy assistance is offered to him.

Roe told a Singapore District Court on Saturday that he resorted to theft because he ran out of money and wanted to attract police attention to his plight. He told the Court that he sought help everywhere after he ran out of funds a month ago, but none was forthcoming.

“The police told me that they could only help me after I committed an offence,” he said in mitigation. Roe, who was arrested on January 28 when he stole $l3O from a shop, would Have to serve two months in jail if he failed to raise the money for the fine.