Community service for drug sales

Press, 31 March 1981, Page 9

Community service for drug sales

A ’Christchurch carpenter earlier convicted of selling 30 • deal” bags of cannabis at Bluff was sentenced to 100 hours of community service by Judge Bisphan in the District Court yesterday. . In addition Raymond Thomas Graham, aged 31. was disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence for nine months. Graham had earlier pleaded guilty to charges of possessing cannabis, and that together with a co-offender he sold cannabis to Wayne John Heskett. and of using a vehicle for the commission of an offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act. At the earlier hearing the police prosecutor said that on February 1 the defendant had driven his utility vehicle from Christchurch to Invercargill. With him in. the vehicle was the co-offender and 80 "deal” bags of cannabis. As a result of the observations of an undercover policeman at Bluff the two .were pursued and arrested after Heskett was observed buying cannabis for $540.

In the chase the cooffender was seen to throw out of the vehicle 10 bags of cannabis. When stopped 10 more bags were found in the vehicle and one bag in the co-offender’s trouser leg. Counsel (Mrs D. J. Orchard) said her client did not

have any idea of how muchcannabis was involved nor did he even see the drug. Graham's involvement really had been in driving the co-offender to Bluff, she said. The Judge said it was quite clear that the cannabis was not Graham's but it was equally clear that the trip south was for the purpose of selling cannabis. This latter fact made Graham a party to the offences. However, the Judge said, he did not propose making an order for the forfeiture of the defendant’s vehicle. But because it was used to implement the offending Graham would be disqualified from holding a driver's licence. DRUG CHARGES A company manager facing two charges of importing drugs into New Zealand was remanded in custodv to April 6. Jerry Ivan Ormandy is alleged to have imported lysergide and cocaine at Auckland on February’ 8. Counsel (Mr G. R. Lascelles) said bail would be sought in the High Court. ASSAULT CHARGE A housewife charged with assaulting Robert Edward Stoop with intent to injure him was remanded on bail to April 6. Maimau Toomalatai. who

is also charged with wilfully damaging Mr Stoop’s van to the value of SlOO. did not plead. INJURY CHARGE Darryl Ivor Wheeler, aged 26. unemployed, was remanded to April 6 on charges of causing grievous bodily harm and wilful damage. It is alleged that with intent to cause grievous bodily harm he injured Margo Ann McGeachin. and that he wilfully damaged a door to the extent of S3O. The offences are alleged to have taken place on March 29. No pleas were entered and Wheeler was remanded in custody. Bail’ was opposed by Sergeant B. N. Thompson. DAMAGED LAWN Gregory Thomas Latimer, aged 17, unemployed, was fined $3O and ordered to paycompensation of $5O after being convicted of wilfullydamaging a lawn to the value of $lOO. Latimer admitted damaging the lawn, the property of R. E. Morris, Ltd, on March 29. Sergeant Thompson said the defendant drove his van over the lawn in Disraeli Street at 2.30 a.m. with the result that about a quarter acre area was now rutted with deep wheel marks.