Air hostess convicted

Press, 19 May 1981, Page 3

Air hostess convicted

PA Auckland Air . New Zealand staff caught attempting to smuggle would get no special exceptions from the courts despite the consequences on their careers, a judge said yesterday. In • the District Court at Auckland'Judge Gilliand had been- told that if he entered a conviction against an air hostess she would be automatically dismissed. Before him was Dorothy Janne Pottinger, aged 25, of Pukekohe, who pleaded guilty to attempting to smuggle into New Zealand a car cassette radio and speakers, and two pens, worth a total of ?472, on or about October--12 of last year. Pottinger was convicted and fined $250 with costs of $4O.

Dr Rodney Harrison, for the defendant, had told the court that if convicted, his

client would be automatically dismissed, and he asked for a discharge without conviction.

In sentencing the defendant. the Judge said the courts would make no special exceptions for Air New Zealand staff, and he did not regard the. consequences as a reason for doing so. In recent times a number of Air New Zealand staff had asked the court for discharges without convictions. "These people know they must face a conviction if they become involved in this type of thing,” he said. The defendant, he said,-had under-declared the value, of the car cassette radio and speakers. It was a determined attempt with a number of lies told. The pens were not declared, but he regarded that as minor.