Charge over petrol

Press, 27 March 1981, Page 6

Charge over petrol

Two charges of receiving uOO litres of petrol earlier this month were denied by a 40-year-old driver when he appeared before Judge Frampton in the District Court yesterday. Albert Daly, who is alleged to have received the petrol, valued at $230, from Bruce Henry Jackson, was remanded on bail- to May 13 for a defended hearing. An application by counsel (Mr K. Searle) for continuation of the interim suppression of his name granted his client last week, was refused by the Judge. RECEIVED STEREO Graham Martin, aged 33, unemployed, who admitted receiving a stereo unit, valued at $1550, was convicted, and remanded to April 2 for a probation report and sentence. Martin admitted receiving the unit, the property of Mark Adrian Steer, from Barry George Davis, on February 19. Detective Sergeant J. A. Ell said that on February 18 the complainant’s house was burgled and the stereo unit was stolen.

Next day the defendant was contacted by an associate to see if he wanted to buy it. The defendant paid $2OO for the stereo. 1

When Martin became aware that the. police were looking for him, he took the stereo to the police station' and admitted the offence. Martin said he had been drinking earlier and had not realised the full implications of the transaction, said Sergeant Ell.

i The defendant explained > that he was under the impression that because the I person selling the stereo ■ was short of money he was ■ doing him a favour by pur--1 chasing it. An application by counsel (Mr W. Rosenberg) for interim suppression of his , client’s name was refused by I the Judge. TRAFFIC CHARGE A 19-year-old man charged! ■ with driving while dis-j qualified on Oxford Terrace! yesterday was remanded in custody without plea until today. Sergeant Ell said Paul Francis Wright was arrested while driving to court to defend. a driving-while-dis-qualified charge. “He’s certainly tempting fate,” said the Judge. Counsel (Mr D. J. Taffs) said the charge which was to have been defended, was based on his client’s asser- | tion that he was not disqualified. j

The Judge recalled that the defendant had already appeared before him in court earlier this week on a driv-ing-while-disqualified charge which was to be defended in May.

Because there appeared to be four current charges of driving while disqualified, the Judge suggested a remand until today in order to enable counsel’ to obtain clarification. PROBATION

A 31-year-old housewife, earlier convicted of fraudulently obtaining $2337 from the Department of Social Welfare by making false statements in order to obtain a benefit, was released on probation for two years.

Sheralee Kim Skipworth had admitted the offences which occurred between November, 1979 and September, 1980.

Counsel (Mr N. P. Chapman) said the offending related to a turbulent domestic relationship.

At the time his client was under considerable financial stress and was too proud to seek financial help or counselling, Mr Chapman said. The Judge said a term of imprisonment would not be justified.