Armed robbery charges

Press, 12 May 1981, Page 7

Armed robbery charges

Two men charged with the armed robbery of the Ferry Road branch of the Bank of New Zealand on May 5 were each remanded in custody to May 18 when they appeared before Judge McAloon in the District Court yesterday. No pleas were entered by John Christopher Sharnock, aged .22,. unemployed, a Canadian (Mr G. Steele) and Anthony Charles Lloyd, aged 27, a taxi proprietor (Mr J. S. Halls). Each was charged that being armed with a shotgun he robbed Robert McDonald of $16,505. In addition Lloyd is charged with the possession of cannabis seed on May 8. Bail was sought for Lloyd but this was strongly opposed by Sergeant J. A. Ell. ESCAPER Robert Alexander Hall, aged 17, unemployed, who admitted escaping from the Rolleston Corrective Training Centre on May 9, was convicted and remanded in custody to May 18 for a probation report and sentence.

Sergeant Ell said that at 6.30 a.m. on May 9 the defendant and an associate had escaped by climbing the compound fence. They were caught two miles away east of Burnham. Hall told the police that he

had escaped because he had been upset by the contents of a letter from his half-sister and had wanted to sort the matter out. PERIODIC DETENTION Five months periodic detention was imposed on a kitchen hand when he appeared for sentence on a charge of misleading the Department of Social Welfare about his employment in order to continue receiving an unemployment benefit.

Ernest Charles Batchelor, aged 39, had earlier admitted and been convicted of the offence through which he had been over paid $1499 by the department. The offence occurred between November 22, last year, and February, this year.

The Judge said it was unfortunate that the particular charge was all too common today. The real victims were the country’s taxpayers who understandably took a dim view of such offending.

In addition to the term of periodic detention Batchelor was put on probation for two years and ordered to place his finances under the control of the probation officer. Counsel (Mrs D. J. Rotherham) said the offence had occurred because of her client’s inability to handle money.

With the extra money from his offending he had hoped to repay a debt of $lOOO, she said. ASSAULT CHARGE A man charged that with intent to injure he assaulted Cynthia Gertrude Tobin was remanded in custody until May 25. No plea was entered by Stanley Taylor, aged 40, unemployed, who is alleged to have committed the offence between May 7 and 9. Bail was “strongly” opposed by Detective Sergeant Ell. Sergeant Ell asked that the defendant undergo a psychiatric assessment while in prison. The Judge agreed DEPOSITIONS A man facing two charges of causing the deaths of two persons by driving in a dangerous manner was remanded in custody to June 22 for the taking of depositions.

Gary William McQuillan, aged 26, a painter, is charged with causing the deaths of Grant Findlay Perry and Teressa Joan Ayers by driving in a dangerous manner on State Highway One at Hornby on November 29, last year.

McQuillan did not plead to the charges.